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Earl B. Smith Winthrop, ME QCWA # 15962 Chapter 134 |
Earl B. Smith, 83, a resident of Winthrop, Maine, died early Saturday morning, June 11, 2011 at Maine General Hospital in Augusta. He was born April 14, 1928, the oldest of 8 children born to Gordon and Annie (Chick) Smith. He attended school in East Monmouth in a 1 room schoolhouse grades K-8th and graduated from Winthrop High School in 1946.
Earl served in the United States Army from 1946 thru 1949 in Japan and after graduating from Coyne Electrical School in Boston was called to serve during the Korean Conflict. Upon discharge he worked as an electrical foreman for Bendix Corporation in New Jersey. In 1955 he started a wholesale radio and electronics business in Eatontown, New Jersey and owned and operated it successfully for 32 years.
On June 14, 1980 in Winthrop, he married Mary Prince Cox of Monmouth. After selling his business he moved back to Maine and began an outboard motor repair business in 1988. Earl retired again in 1999 when motors became "to damn heavy to wrestle." Upon his retirement he sold his business to his good friend, David Neill and continued to work with him following his retirement. He continued to restore antique boats and maintain his large collection of old outboards. He enjoyed hunting and fishing and in 1972 organized a hunt in Botswana, Africa with amateur radio friends and shot an elephant, cape buffalo & kudu plus other less trophies.
He was a 50 year extra class radio amateur (call sign was K2YLM), a life member of Associated Radio Relay League, Post 40 American Legion, Quarter Century Wireless Association in Marconi Chapter #138 in New Jersey.
He is survived by his wife of 31 years, Mary Smith of Winthrop; 2 daughters, Sandra Curley of Elkton, MD; Vicky Kilgore of North Carolina; his sons, Dr. Steve Smith of Shelby, NC., and Raymond Smith of Neptune, NJ; 15 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren; stepchildren, Valorie Martin of Brunswick; Dot Glidden of Readfield, Brian Cox of Winthrop and Becky Hackett of Massachusetts; 8 step-grandchildren and 8 step-great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his son, James Smith, daughter, Donna Hendrick, brothers, Chelsea, Elmore and Harry and sisters, Ruth, Cora, Lynne and Carol.