Jerry Dean Smith

Jerry Dean Smith passed from this life, to life eternal on June 17, 2024, at Hospice of Northwest Ohio in Toledo, Ohio. He was born on a farm near Wauseon on February 9, 1939 to Floyd and Margaret (Leininger) Smith. He attended Wauseon schools where he was a football player and President of his junior and senior classes. He graduated from Bowling Green State University with a degree in Personnel Management in 1961. It was at BG that he met Ann Rickly. They married upon his graduation and were together until her death in 2019.

One of Jerry’s earliest memories was exiting the farmhouse on a bright spring morning at age 6 or 7 and marveling at the beautiful warmth of the sunshine. Later in life he came to realize that what he was experiencing is reflected in Romans 1:20, “For since the creation of the world, God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” That verse was so fundamental to his faith journey that he had it engraved on his headstone. Jerry spent his life witnessing to God’s majesty and impressing on everyone he knew, the importance of faith in Jesus Christ. This led him to write a book entitled, “A Logical Case for God and Creation”.

Jerry held various positions in HR and Labor Relations in Toledo and Cleveland, and retired from FirstEnergy Corp. in 2002. He went on to a retirement career at Lowe’s and retired for good in 2023. Jerry enjoyed traveling and gardening, was a consummate handyman and a leader and volunteer in his community and church. His first loves, however, were his Lord, and his family.

Jerry leaves behind his daughter Lori Skees (Daniel) and son Douglas (Laura); grandchildren Aaron Skees (Rose), Bethany Navratil (Collin), Jordan Smith (friend Julia Gigis), Elijah Smith, and Caleb Smith; great grandson Harrison Skees; brothers Tom (LaDonna) and Bob Smith, and sister Carol Sue Schmitz (Roger). He was preceded in death by his wife Ann, parents, and brother Jim Smith.

Services for Jerry will be at First Presbyterian Church at 200 E. Broadway St. Maumee, Ohio 43537, on Friday June 21, 2024. There will be visitation at 10:00 at the church, with the service to follow at 11:00. Private family burial will be at Riverside Cemetery, with a luncheon at the church to follow. Memorial contributions can be made to First Presbyterian Church. Arrangements by Maison-Dardenne-Walker Funeral Home, Maumee, OH.