William J. "Bill" Smith

April 8, 1931 - November 22, 2018

William J. (Bill) Smith, 87 Dayton, OH Bill Smith was called home to Christ in the Kingdom of Heaven, passing away peacefully in the early morning hours of Thanksgiving, 2018. Bill suffered a rapid decline after a chronic illness, but his will and Irish heart held on until his entire family had time to gather and say "until we meet again". Bill was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 46 years, Neva Claire (Thille); his brothers Charles, John, and Howard; and his sisters Marie and Loretta. He is survived by sister Theresa Benvenuto; his children, Jeanne Marie Farmer, Kim Maureen Erker (husband Michael), William Michael, Mark Andrew (wife Lori) and Kristyn Thille; grandchildren, Peter (wife Malaika), Megan (husband Kristopher), Timothy (wife Meagan), Andrea (husband Brett), Emily (husband Eric), Caitlin (husband Jose) and Nevie Claire; great-grandchildren, Brayden, Kellen, Declan, Soren, Bridget, Thomas, Magdalene, and Samantha; and his longtime companion Hootie the Cat. Born in Brooklyn, NY on April 8, 1931, the sixth of seven children to Charles Miller Smith and Marie Rose (Clear), "sweet William", as his mother called him, was perhaps a bit more mischievous than he let on. A child of the depression and WWII, his strong Irish family instilled in him an unwavering Catholic faith, devotion to family and a lifelong following of ND football and Brooklyn's "Boys of Summer". He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1951, and it was his duty there that brought Bill from the sidewalks of NY to the windswept plains of Kansas, where he met his bride-to-be, Neva Claire Thille, at the USO. In typical NY fashion, he introduced himself as "Charles Merriweather"; Neva only talking to him because he carried a rosary. Soon the innocent flirtation blossomed into a great love affair that spanned five decades. Bill and Neva were married on October 3, 1953 in Wichita, KS, and he began a 43-year career in service to his country as a civilian with the U.S. Air Force. The Smiths had five children and raised their family in small town KS, first in Hutchison, then Derby. In 1978, with his two oldest daughters' married and oldest son in college, Bill accepted promotion to Air Force HQ in Dayton, OH, where he remained until retiring in 1997. Not surprisingly, four of his five children would eventually relocate their families in and around the Dayton area. Bill sacrificed endlessly to ensure a Catholic education for his children and a stable loving home for Neva. His family always had everything they needed and some of the things they wanted, and who could ask for more? Only after his retirement, with children grown, did Bill finally reward himself with a Cadillac and Neva with the travels she dreamed of, especially to see the Grand Canyon. Neva passed away suddenly on Leap Day 2000, and Bill spent the years after her death with daughter Kristyn on Andrea Dr. in Kettering. Despite a broken heart, his stewardship of the Smith Clan carried on. He attended daily Mass at St. Charles, visited with Neva daily at Calvary Cemetery and shared his faith, love and generosity with his extended and growing family. His final years were spent at 10 Wilmington in Dayton, where between family visits and outings, Bill and Hootie would stroll the halls, making friends and entertaining staff with his Irish charm. Bill will be remembered uniquely by each of us who loved him, but always as a faithful Catholic, a fiercely devoted family man, and a long suffering fan of ND football and Dodger baseball. Faithful servant, you have fought the good fight, you have finished the race. Your work here is complete and well done. The family will carry on, as we must, but it will never be the same. We grieve your passing intensely, miss your physical presence always, yet we know your spirit remains, a constant through our triumphs and sorrows. We are consoled in the knowledge of your Eternal Reward and in being rejoined with Neva in Christ. If it's not too much trouble, check in on us dopes from time to time, goodness knows we could all use the help. We love you, say us one, say us all – Great Grandpa, Big G, Father. The family will receive friends Wednesday November 28th from 4-7pm at The Westbrock Funeral Home, 5980 Bigger Road. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Thursday November 29th at 1pm at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Kettering. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery.