February 13, 1929 ~ November 24, 2020
Lt Colonel Paul G Smith ( Ret.) 91, of Pawnee City, NE, passed on to Heaven peacefully on November 24, 2020 at the Community Medical Center in Falls City, NE. Paul was born to Lanier and Sally Smith on February 13, 1929 in Millerville, Alabama.
Paul was born sixth in the line of the seven boys, and one sister. They lived on a small farm and raised their food and meat. The children were raised in a strict Baptist home. Paul said they were poor but did not have any idea of this situation. All the boys had jobs at home and his mother chose him to help her in the vegetable garden. His mother made 50 large biscuits every morning on a cook stove and the left over biscuits were used for school lunches. Paul enjoyed telling new friends that he lived so far back in the hills of Alabama that his family didn’t get Saturday night Opry till Wednesday.
Paul attended Bibb Graves High Schoool and graduated in Millerville, AL in 1947. He excelled in High School Basketball all four years. He worked in the Russell Mills to put himself thru Auburn University in Alabama. At Auburn he enlisted in ROTC, graduating in 1952 and was then commissioned as a 2nd Lt, US Air Force. After retiring from the Air Force he attended the University of Lincoln to earn his Masters Degree (1978) in Agri Education.
Tours of Duty: Carswell AFB, Texas 1952-1956 as Personnel Officer. Ben Guerier AFB, Casa Blanca, Morocco 1956-1958 as Personnel Officer Dyess AFB, Texas 1958-1960 as Personnel Officer 1960-1962 went to Wichita Kansas for training in the Nuclear Missile Program. 1962-1965 served as combat crew commander ( Atlas F Missile) . 1965 -1968 on to Whiteman AFB, Missouri as Quality Control (Minuteman I Missiles) Reported to Norton AFB, California 1968-1971 as Liaison (Strategic Air Command/ Space and Missiles Systems Command) Transferred to Chitose AFB, Hokido, Japan 1971-1973 as Base Commmander the high lite of his tour at Chitose was the 1972 Winter Olympics were held on the Island of Hokido. We had ring side seats for all events. The boys were away at boarding school but it was a military school so they were allowed to come home. One day we were looking for them and our Interpreter pointed to a hill and at the top was the ski shack of Giant salons and there were our boys hanging out with the USA Ski Team. 1973- 1974 Transferred to Tachikawa AFB, Honshu Japan as Base Commander. 1974-1976 Came back to the States and served at Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota as Deputy Commander of maintenance. Minute Man II Missiles. Retired August 31, 1976 at Grand Forks AFB.
Following the completion of his Masters Degree in Lincoln he was an Agricultural Teacher with the Omaha Public Schools System in Omaha for twelve years. The First three years held classes at Northwest HS and South Omaha HS. Then the school system had an opening at the Two Rivers Farm, a farm owned school bused their children to the farm daily, after a short time Paul was able to start the farm’s own High School and the same Children Came everyday to take all of their classes. He was very proud of the positive effect it had on the children. The family moved to Table
Rock in 1986 and Paul took over the Table Rock Grocery Store. He was very popular with the grade school children as they would stop by the store to visit Paul and get a snack, free of course!
Achievements:
While stationed at Norton AFB, Riverside CA he was awarded the Air Force Commendation Korean Service Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster ribbon. Also launched two short range missiles at the same time testing the guidance Systems at the Vanderburg AFB, CA.
During this time, the base hosted Rifle Competitions in which he was always the lead marksman representing the Air Base.
Hobbies:
Paul was an avid sportsman. The biggest thrill was hunting. During his careen he would come to NE to hunt Doves, quail, and pheasants. He spent hours during his childhood hunting squirrels, and rabbits in the woods around the farm. His mother made them into delicious dishes. He learned to be a deadly sure shot. He took the boys camping, boating, fishing, and hunting. He loved to paly a lot of golf, hand ball and racquet ball too.
Left to cherish his memories is his beloved wife Jane of 66 years, two sons, the pride of his life Stephen Hadley Smith (Laura) of Table Rock, and Philip Lanier Smith (Kim) of Parker Colorado. Paul was so very proud of his grandchildren as he had missed a great deal of his son’s childhood.
Grandchildren Dr. Dustin Hadley (Leesie) Smith, great grand daughter Ophelia, Lincoln. Dr. Dylan Grant (engaged to Alyssa) Smith of Sioux City Iowa. Paulina Smith Goosman (Kyle) if Stella, NE.
One brother Mack (Ellen) Smith of California and extended family of Matson children, Ellen, Chris and BJ. Plus many nieces and nephews.
Preceding him in death were his parents and one sister Louella and brothers , a toddler boy Buren, also. Mather, (Lois), Kelvin (Eunice), Perry (Colleen), Garrett (Marie) Travis ( Mary Ann).
The family will take Paul back to Alabama in 2021 to be placed with his family. He dearly loved and never forgot his state of Alabama.