William Prentice Smith Jr.

(Will Smith)

I am writing to all our friends and family for my husband, Will Smith.

Will passed December 7, 2021. He was in the hospital at Samaritan in Corvallis, Oregon.

He needed to go on dialysis due to Kidney failure. We all thought he was going to be better, but after five dialysis treatments, he passed. The dialysis was too hard on his heart. He was very weak.

I would like everyone to remember how special Will was. A loving husband, caring parent, good friend, teacher, principal, Royal Ranger leader, genealogist, artist, and the most wonderful man I could have known.

He had three children:  Michael Smith, Bill Smith, and Suzanne Smith. He was brave, strong and a loving man to all. He went peacefully and I was able to be by his side from the beginning to the end. I held his hand, and he kept his eyes on me and we are soul mates.

He managed a store for Thrifty Drug Stores in California. This is where we met. We were married 51 years. Many, many memories we have and good people we met along the way.

Will was foremost a teacher. He oversaw the Royal Ranger program at First Assembly and then New Life. He was Royal Ranger Oregon District Commander. He was the Principal of New Life Christian Academy and founded the school there, working eight years as Principal. He taught at Santiam Christian for twelve years and then Palm Springs Unified in California for three years, until he retired. He taught Math and Science. He coached the Track and Field teams and the Cross-Country teams, for Santiam Christian. He was a huge Harry Potter fan and used the Potter theme in his classroom. The students loved it!

He will be missed by all who came into his life. I have lost the love of my life and I am heartbroken.

Till the Twelfth of Never