Donald L. Smith, 4-Decade Sparta Resident and Church Volunteer, Dies at 84

Donald L. Smith of Sparta died Nov. 14 in Newton with his family at his side, according to a notice on the Goble Funeral Home website. He was 84.

A native of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., he moved to Sparta 36 years ago. Prior to that, Smith served in the U.S. Army from 1946-49. He attended Purdue University, earning bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees in mechanical engineering.

After earning his doctorate, he worked Standard Oil, Magnavox, Collins Radio and Rockwell Industries before moving on to a 29-year stint as a mechanical engineer for the U.S. Department of Defense, serving the Rock Island Arsenal, and later transferring to Picatinny Arsenal, where he retired in 1994. He was a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers for 60 years.

Outside of the professional sphere, Smith was a treasurer of the Sparta United Methodist Church and a member of its Board of Trustees and Missions Committee. He volunteered for the church's thrift shop and was a Boy Scout leader.

Smith is survived by his wife of 59 years, Wilma Howard Smith; children Steven J. Smith and Gretchen Sundstrom-Smith of Budd Lake, Linda and Richard Cappaert of St. Louis, Mo.; sister Margaret Gaylord of Binghamton, N.Y.; sister–in-law Wanda Wanck of Endicott, N.Y.; and six grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements were handled by Goble Funeral Home. A Celebration of Life service for Smith will be held at Sparta United Methodist Church on Dec.22 at 2 p.m.

The family requested contributions in memory of Donald L. Smith for the Sparta United Methodist Church Memorial Fund, 71 Sparta Ave., Sparta, NJ 07871, or to the American Cancer Society.