Obituary of Thomas R. Smith

Tom Smith passed away on Tuesday, April 9th, at Masonic Village in Lafayette Hill, PA, where he lived with his wife Sharon for the past 6 years. He lived a rich life, full of love—and children, dogs, books, and mischief. 

Tom was born on December 1, 1934, in Locust Gap, PA, the son of the late Thomas Raymond Smith and Catherine Susan (Boylan) Smith. His early life was spent in this coal mining region, in a close-knit community with Irish roots—a community that gifted Tom a fierce loyalty to family, a lifelong love of the outdoors, a soft spot for underdogs, and an Irish brogue that accompanied his most mischievous tales. (Like the one about tying firecrackers to the tails of pigeons to train them to fly helter-skelter during shoots!)

At the age of 7, he moved to Philadelphia, and his family eventually settled in Germantown, on Haines Street. There, he attended St. Vincent de Paul’s Parish and school. Tom joined Boy Scout Troop 207, earning the WFIL award for service to the community. In 1949, he dove into the Wissahickon Creek to save two drowning people and was lauded as a hero by his community, as well as the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Ever the adventurer, Tom enlisted early in the United States Navy. He was seventeen and, as he liked to recall with a grin, “weighed 135 pounds soaking wet.” He served with honor from 1952-1955 and got to see the world. Afterward, he went home to Philadelphia and earned his associates degree from Spring Garden Institute. He worked as a zamboni driver before joining the Philadelphia Electric Company (PECO) as an electronic technician, unaware that his biggest adventure was about to begin:

In 1957, on a blind date set up by his cousin Nancy Boylan, Tom met Sharon Van Gorden—a nursing student at Philadelphia General Hospital. The story goes that Nancy had planned for Tom to meet another girlfriend that night, but in a twist of fate (manufactured by Tom), Sharon ended up sitting next to him. The rest is history. They were married on September 28, 1957, and had six kids over the next 10 years. Tom made sure to teach them all to swim, often piling all six kids, the dog, and even some neighbor kids into the car to go to the community swimming pool in the hot Philadelphia summers—he was even known to pull over to let the kids jump in a public fountain. (He cannot be blamed for the time one of the dogs jumped in and relieved himself in the water!)

Tom and Sharon eventually bought his childhood house in Germantown and raised their family there for some years, before moving to Lafayette Hill in 1970. They lived in Lafayette Hill in the same house on Warner Road for nearly 50 years, reveling in the 3/4 acre of ground and 100 acres of woods behind the yard. Tom was a trusted and valued member of the community, known especially for coaching many years for the Whitemarsh Girls Softball League. Tom and Sharon’s door was always open to anyone who needed a meal, a bed, or a laugh.

In 1989, Tom retired from PECO. He spent his retirement years traveling and exploring diverse vistas and cultures. He never failed to marvel at their beauty. Still, his favorite places were close to home: the Wissahickon, and the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, where he and Sharon bought a summer house. These years also were filled with many grandchildren—who loved nothing better than for Tom (aka Poppa) to take them out on his boat for a day on the bay—and family milestones, and Tom offered a steady, loving presence through it all. 

When they sold their home on Warner Road in September 2017, Tom and Sharon held a 60th anniversary party that doubled as a farewell. It was a celebration of a lifetime of love, loyalty, and community. From there, they moved to the Masonic Retirement Village in Lafayette Hill.

Tom was loved by all who knew him (bullies and snobs notwithstanding), and his life brought unquantifiable joy. His presence will live on in our hearts, and his care for the underdogs, love of the outdoors, delight in a good book, and penchant for embellishing stories will be a part of his legacy. We are proud to say that Tom surely lived up to the poem that hung on his wall as inspiration: “Let me live in my house by the side of the road and be a friend to man.” 

Tom is survived by his wife of 66 years, Sharon, and his six children and their spouses: Kathryn and Peter Palermo, Judith and Tim McKee, Thomas (Tim) and Kathy Smith, Daniel and Cindy Smith, Constance Smith and Ed Pedana, and Jacquelyn and Clint Roderick. Tom also will be dearly missed by his fifteen grandchildren and fifteen great-grandchildren. All we can say as we send him off is this: “You’re a good man, Gunga Din.” May we always think of him when we hear a tale well told, take a walk in quiet woods, or see a good dog at play.

A celebration of his life will be held on Friday, April 19th, at 11 am at Masonic Village in Lafayette Hill. There will be a visitation held before the service from 10-11 am. Memorial contributions in his name may be made to St. Jude’s Hospital for Children or Friends of the Wissahickon. Arrangements are under the direction of Lownes Funeral Home.