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Steven F. 'Smitty' Smith Atlanta, TX QCWA # 36551 Chapter 85 |
Steven Smith, a lifelong resident of Atlanta, TX, went to be with the Lord unexpectedly on Monday, March 28th, at the age of 60 while doing what he loved most. Born to a pioneer Cass County family, Steven Fischer Smith began life on March 10th, 1956. His parents were Norman Larry Smith and Shirley Jeanne Fischer Smith. Steven spent a brief time in Longview during his grade school days before returning to Atlanta. He met the love of his life, Linda Bickham, at Atlanta High School, where both graduated in 1974. Steven & Linda married in December of 1976. They attended Stephen F. Austin State University before returning to Atlanta in order for Steven to assist in operating the family business, which later became Smith Wholesalers, Inc. He graduated from East Texas State University in Texarkana with a BS in Business Administration and went on to serve as President of this business for 29 years. Steven was preceded in death by his parents, Norman Larry and Shirley Jeanne Fischer Smith, Brother, Tom Richey Smith Holloway, and sister, Melanie Magnus-Roy. Steven loved his family and was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. He was a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and was active in First United Methodist Church of Atlanta for all of his life, serving in various leadership positions. He walked with the Lord daily and was a true friend to all who crossed his path. Many of his friends came from his multiple hobbies. His passions included drag racing, boat racing, and amateur radio; as a result of these hobbies, he had friends spread throughout the entire country. The Racers for Christ organization gave him the opportunity to share with others about his faith and hope in Jesus. Due to Steven's love for his community and the city of Atlanta, he served in various civic duties. He was a founding member of the Atlanta City Development Corporation and served many roles in the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, Lions Club, and Atlanta Education Foundation. He was chosen as Man of the Year for the City of Atlanta in 1989. He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Linda Bickham Smith of Atlanta; brother, Stuart Norman Richey Smith and wife Lori of Atlanta; aunt, Stephanie Smith-Wilkey and husband John Wilkey of Atlanta; daughters, Stephanie Duke and husband Steven of Edwardsville, Illinois, Susan Novak and husband Lucas of San Antonio, TX; and seven grandchildren, Ashlyn Novak, Carson Duke, Luke Novak, Caroline Duke, Mason Novak, Colleen Duke, and Cullen Duke. He leaves behind a host of other family and friends. Steven was loved and will be missed by all, but we find assurance in knowing he is with Jesus and that we too will join him someday. Services for Steven Fischer Smith of Atlanta, TX will be held 11:00 am, Friday, April 1, 2016, at the First United Methodist Church, Atlanta, Texas, 701 Lindsey Lane under the direction of Hanner Funeral Service. Visitation will be Thursday, March 31, 2016 from 6 pm to 8 pm at Hanner Funeral Service. Interment will be in Pine Crest Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made to the First United Methodist Church Atlanta Building Fund or the Atlanta Education Foundation.
I ham sad to report that Steven Smith, W5YME and Chapter 85 member is SK. Steven died as a result of a racing accident on Monday March 28. This is a big hit for Chapter 85. We're trying to come to grips with it. Steven's wife is Linda W5OME and is a QCWA member also. 73 John Stewart AA5KV Secretary/Treasurer Chapter 85
Greetings to all from the North East Texas piney woods. I am Steven Smith - W5YME and I am a sixth generation Cass County Texan dating back to the Republic of Texas. I became interested in amateur radio around age eight during my third grade school year. During Cub Scouting I was first exposed to the world of radio through the construction of a crystal radio. My father and I dreamed of getting into the amateur radios together some day however that dream did not begin to take place for many years.
During my eigth grade year of school, a friend of mine and his father began using CB radios. This was a time prior to the CB boom in the U.S. The CB bands were pretty clear and just a handful of folks used this radio service in our hometown of Atlanta. My dad noticed my friend and his father enjoying the CB's as a father and son project and a short time later he purchased us two. My first CB was a Metrotek Pacer 1, an 8 channel tube type unit used in conjunction with a Hygain CLR-2 ground plane antenna. That was about all a person needed in those days. My first new radio was a Pearce-Simpson Bearcat 23, one that I was so proud of that I still have it to this day. We used the radios constantly through my high school and college years. I think I was the only guy in our high school with twin Shakespeare fiberglass whips on their car. These were also the days of FCC licensing in CB with strict rules and monitoring of the bands.
We had a number of active Hams in Atlanta in those days, Dave Wommack - W5AVH, Willie Love - K5MFA, Robert Jones - K5HCM and others. Another lifelong friend, Dennis Smith - WB5SRM, picked up his ham ticket in 1976, just out of high school. In December 1976 I married my high school sweetheart Linda and in 1981 we picked up our novice licenses under the tutoring of Tevis Pappas - K5EJD. My wife Linda was KA5KJT and my application was lost in the process and after the reapplication to the FCC, I became KA5LEG. We set up a nice little ham shack at home with some Heathkit SB series gear and a Hygain 80-10 vertical trap and with our low power straight key began to work the world of CW as well as monitoring phone on many stations such as KC4AAA on a regular basis.
In 1982 our second child was born and another bedroom was needed, so, there went the radio room. I moved the radios to our small bedroom closet and tried to operate them from the bedroom but that did not work well at all. I then prepared a place to set the radio gear up at work, but that did not work out as I was entering the busiest years of my career and juggling the needs of work and family along with desire to serve our church and community just left little time for radios. A short time later, a new ham in our community was trying to get started in the sport, Gary Stewart - N5UIU. Gary was new to the sport and on a tight budget, so I gave him my Heath gear and told him if he ever outgrew it or decided he did not need the gear any longer then to pass it on and help another ham operator. I don't know what happened to that gear, but hope it went to good use. It would be really cool to be reunited.
Flash forward, after retiring from the petroleum products wholesale and retail business, I am catching up with past passions. I still have business interest, but most of my passions revolve around family, church and applied chemistry and physics. Currently I am the Crew Chief and engine builder on a NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster (A/Fuel) team with a long background in various car and drag boat racing ventures.
A few years ago, a friend of mine, after being in the aircraft and real estate development endeavors for 28 years in northern Arkansas, moved back to our hometown of Atlanta. What I have not mentioned in this bio is this friend is Jim Collom - N5YU a near lifelong friend, and the same person whose father purchased those first CB radios that began our radio transmitting ventures back in 1969.
Upon Jim's return to Atlanta he began to encourage me to re up my ham ticket. As a not so young guy anymore, I was concerned about my abilities to reenter the world of radio . Steve Ferrell - KB5YMD also encouraged me and brought me Technician class study material. Jim brought me a flyer from a local pending Hamfest in Texarkana. I then decided to study the material, attend the Texarkana Hamfest and test. So, my wife Linda and I attended local hamfest, had a great time and I left with both my Technician and General class tickets, as well as winning the Hamfest third prize, a dual band HT.
A few weeks later, with help from local club members and Volunteer Examiners, especially Steve Ferrell - KB5YMB, Jim Collom - N5YU, Jo Ann Collom - KB5SQL, Jason Patterson - KD5RQB, Carolyn Patterson - KE5BPP and Carol Johnson - KB5TCH, my wife Linda completed her technician license testing and is now W5OME.
So, after some 50 years of a dream, Jim and I along with our wives are enjoying amateur radio and we Iook forward to continue serving our community through radio and exposing the sport to our grandchildren and others.
73's
Steven Smith
W5YME
Repeater Trustee - W5YME - FREEDOM LINK SKYWARN GROUP
LINKING COMMUNICATIONS WITH FOUR STATES
AKA Smitty - AKA Gearhead
TEXAS VHF/FM SOCIETY - ARRL - INSTRUCTOR - VE - A.R.E.S - Advanced SKYWARN - QCWA - R.A.C.C. www.raccradio.org
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Time for 'Cruise Night', the annual community event in Atlanta Texas that brings automophiles from all over. Cruise night on Friday June 10 has almost become an official kick-off to summer of sorts and this year the event becomes known as the 'Steven Smith Memorial Cruise Night'. |
Linda - W5OME Smitty - W5YME