George L. Smith

George L. Smith, age 79, died Monday, March 9, 2009 at The Toledo Hospital surrounded by his loving family, following complications from knee surgery. George was born on April 23, 1929 in Adrian, Michigan to Arthur and Mary Ost Smith. He graduated from Central Catholic High School in 1947 and attended the University of Toledo. He served in the U.S. Army in the Amphibious Engineers Division and was stationed in Panama during the Korean War. He married Marjorie, the love of his life, on May 8, 1954. George began his career at the Harold G. Taylor Company. In 1978, along with CCHS graduates Bobby Recker and Chuck Loisel, he began a material handling company known as MidAm Sales Association. He sold the business in 1994, but continued to work in sales. In 1997 along with Bobby, Chuck and Mike Gill, he began a material handling division of Midwest Paper Specialties. George loved fishing, golfing, playing pinochle, lawn jarts and darts. He was involved in many sports at CCHS and loved officiating high school basketball games. He was a member of Christ the King Church and served as an usher. He was also a member of the Elks Lodge #53. George loved life and his smile warmed the heart of every person who was blessed to know him. His happiest moments involved his family members, and each and every one felt special in his eyes. He is lovingly survived and will be terribly missed by his wife of 54 years, Marjorie Sager; children, Pamela Royal Barber, Jr. Debi Kevin Reilly, Kevin Kim Smith and Joni Jeff Babka-Owens; grandchildren, Mike and Tom Barber; Jeni and Brian Fortenbury, Nick, Brad and Kevin Reilly; Bri, Brittany, and Corey Smith and Jenna Owens; sisters, Marilyn Mossing and Bernice Pinkelman, and brother Dick Janet Smith. He was preceded in death by his sisters, Barbra Greenlese and Gladys Paschal. Visitation will be on Thursday from 2:00 to 9:00 pm at the Walker Funeral Home, 5155 W. Sylvania Rd., west of Corey Rd. with a Scripture Service at 7:00 p.m. Prayers will begin at the funeral home on Friday at 9:30 am followed by Mass of the Resurrection at 10 am at Christ the King Church, 4100 Harvest Lane. Interment will be at Ottawa Hills Memorial Park. The family would like to thank all of dads friends and family members for their love and support over the last seven weeks. Memorials may be made to a charitable donation of your choice.