Calvin Smith, Jr.

Calvin Smith, Jr. passed away peacefully on June 11, 2025, surrounded by his loving family. Calvin was born October 6, 1934, in Sebewa Township, Michigan, to Calvin and Stella Smith.

After a wonderful upbringing on the family farm in Iona County, Michigan, and graduating from Lake Odessa High School, Calvin headed off to East Lansing where he was a proud Michigan State Spartan graduating in 1957 with a degree in Agricultural Engineering. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in December 1957 after participating in the Air Force ROTC program and proudly served his country in the United States Air Force for 20 years from 1958-1978. He was a Master Navigator with over 4,900 flying hours in seven different aircraft: T-29, KC-97, KC-135, C-47, C-119, B-52 and EC-135. Calvin spent the majority of his flying time in the KC-97 and KC-135 aerial refueling planes. He was always courageous and not afraid of trying something new, as he stated, “I was 24 years old when I entered the service by myself. I was a farm boy that climbed on an airplane in Grand Rapids, Michigan, headed for San Antonio, Texas, scared and not knowing what to except.”

After graduating from Navigator training at Harlingen Air Force Base, TX, Calvin was stationed at Forbes AFB, KS, where he met his loving wife, Alice, in Topeka, Kansas. They were married on September 2, 1961, at Forbes Chapel. Their Air Force journey took them to Castle AFB, California (with 6-week old Kevin in tow after being born at Forbes); Roswell AFB, NM; Homestead AFB, FL (Ken born); Westover AFB, MA (Kyle born); HQ MACV, Saigon, Vietnam; Blytheville AFB, AR; and finally Wright-Patterson AFB, OH (notice that the “IO” was left off). Alice followed him every step of the way except for wisely his one year in Vietnam; however, she proudly supported him with care packages and reel to reel tape recordings from home.

Calvin retired from the Air Force in 1978 after a distinguished career, and he and Alice decided to call Fairborn, Ohio, home and still live in the same house they moved into in 1973. Calvin once again took a courageous leap of faith and enrolled in Wright State University where he received a degree in Accounting in 1980, followed by passing the Certified Public Accountant exam, and another successful twenty-year career in public accounting retiring for a second time in 2001.

While Calvin had two careers that anyone would be proud of, his most remarkable achievements were in serving and being a friend to others outside of work. He was the best husband, father, brother, son, uncle, grandpa, great grandpa, and friend whom anyone could wish for. He served in the Boy Scouts for 20+ years, 5 years as Scout Master, where he helped all three of his sons become Eagle Scouts. He was an active member of Fairborn Council 3724 Knights of Columbus for 43 years, where he helped with everything from serving breakfast and dinner to bingo. He was a faithful member of Mary Help of Christians Parish where he helped with their Summer Festival as well as ushering, serving at mass, counting the collection, and any other task they needed help with. He used his accounting knowledge to assist many as a Volunteer Income Tax Assistant at the Fairborn Senior Citizens Center.

When Calvin was not working or volunteering, he loved gardening, golfing, bicycling, boating, camping, playing poker, and cheering on his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren as well as his Michigan State Spartans and Wright State Raiders. He and Alice were blessed with an awesome group of friends and family whom they traveled the world with on many cruises as well as trips all over the United States. While Calvin was usually too humble to talk about it, he, his best friend, and brother- in-law rode their bicycles across the United States in the summer of 1990 from Seattle, WA, to Bar Harbor, ME, riding over 3,000 miles.

Calvin was preceded in death by his parents Calvin and Stella Smith; sisters, Marilyn Smith, Della Kulak, and Elaine Smith; and brothers, Kenneth Smith, Carlton Smith and Roger Smith.

He is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Alice; sons, Kevin, Ken (Jeanne), and Kyle (Bev); five grandchildren, Kristina (Greg), Emily, Emilie, Isaiah, and Hope; two great grandchildren, Noah and Nash; brother, Tom (Doreen) Smith; sisters, Donna Green and Mary (Ray) Dykhouse; and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be on Monday, 16 June from 5-7 PM at Belton Stroup Funeral Home, Fairborn. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Mary Help of Christians Church, Fairborn, at 1030 AM on 17 June 2025, Father Charles Lang celebrant. Burial with military honors will be held at Enon Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Council 3724 Knights of Columbus -or- Society of Saint Vincent de Paul.

AIM HIGH, GO GREEN, RAIDER UP!