David Smith Obituary

_1921-2016

_{SMITH, David Lewis Age 95, of Oakwood, passed away on May 22, 2016 at home. Born in 1921 in Dayton, David was the son of Jack and Bessie Lewis Smith. He graduated from Oakwood High School in 1939 and received the Oakwood Distinguished Alumni Award in 2012. He entered Miami University, but served three years in the army in the Pacific during WW II, before graduating with a BFA from Miami University in 1947. He received his MFA from the University of Iowa in 1950.}

_{David was a talented and dedicated artist and some of his works have been compiled into two books, "Sgt. Smith's Sketchbook" and "Gem City through an Artist's Eye". Dave's true talent, however, was in his ability to make friends and inspire others. When he spoke of people he often preceded their names with "my good friend...." And there were many 'good friends'. Among those friends were his former students. He taught art at Fairmont West, retiring in 1983. In retirement he taught painting and drawing at the University of Dayton, the Dayton Art Institute, the River Bend Art Center and his winter home in Florida. David was president of the Western Ohio Watercolor Society, Dayton Society of Painters and Sculptors, a member of the Miami Valley Arts Council, and, with his wife, Kay, an establishing member of the 48 High Street Art Gallery where he was active until just months before his death.}

<sub>David's watercolors are much sought after and exhibited in numerous art galleries and business establishments. He is especially known for his sketches, drawings and watercolors that capture Dayton architecture and the surrounding Dayton landscape. David was preceded in death by his parents and wife, Kay. He is survived by an extended family of cousins and those "good friends" of whom he spoke so often. All of us are better for having known Dave and having experienced his joy and his enthusiasm for life and his generous soul. Family will greet friends from 5:00-8:00pm on Thursday, May 26, 2016 at Routsong Funeral Home, 2100 East Stroop Road, Kettering. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 2:30pm on Friday, May 27, 2016 at St. Albert the Great Catholic Church, 3033 Far Hills Avenue, Kettering. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts should be made to Hospice of Dayton , 324 Wilmington Ave., Dayton, OH 45420, the Carillon Park/Dayton History Association, 1000 Carillon Boulevard, Dayton, OH 45409, or to a charitable organization of choice.

Source: Dayton Daily News from May 24 to May 25, 2016</sub>

Veteran shares WWII drawings 

PUBLICATION: Dayton Daily News (OH)
SECTION:  South Dayton
   Pamela Dillon Contributing Writer
DATE:  November 20, 2014
Page:  OZSD1

At 93 years of age, David Smith is one of the last WWII survivors to tell the tales of that particular conflict. According to the National WWII Museum in New Orleans, there are only 1.2 million WWII veterans left of the original 16 million. Smith’s method of shedding light on life in the Army was through a series of 29 pencil drawings.

His book, “Sgt. Smith’s Sketchbook: 1943-1945 A World Away,” is available at The Fine Art Center in Center-ville. He also has a permanent display at the center, located at the Cross Pointe Shopping Center.“When I was in the military during the Second World War, I always carried a pencil in my pocket and a sketchbook in my barracks bag,” said Smith, an Oakwood resident who lives in Sarasota, Fla., during the winter.As part of the 263rd Ordnance Company, his unit was shipped to New Guinea, New Britain and finally the Philippines. His company was in charge of cleaning and repairing cameras, scopes and fire-control instruments.His platoon followed the soldiers on the front lines. The closest they came to danger was when they had arrived in Cape Gloucester, and the Japanese had taken Rabaul in New Britain. After setting up their tents, they dug trenches. When they heard the sirens, that meant that Japanese Zeros were dropping bombs. No one was killed by a bomb, but two in his unit were killed by booby traps.“When you’re a noncom (noncommissioned officer), all the guys in your platoon are buddies. We weren’t on the front lines, but we depended upon each other for survival,” said Smith, who earned three Bronze Stars and a Good Conduct Medal. “We had no idea when we would be going home, if ever.”For Smith, that would happen after serving three years when President Truman ordered the U.S. Air Force to drop an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, on Aug. 6, 1945. It took a second bomb on Nagasaki three days later to convince Japan to surrender on Aug. 14.Smith has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Miami University and has taught art at Fairmont West for 18 years and 10 years part-time at Dayton Art Institute and University of Dayton. Besides drawing, he’s adept at watercolor, acrylic and monotype print mediums. He learned the print technique from his wife, Kay, who passed away in 2003.“His work is fabulous. He’s full of energy; full of life. I like the fact he does so many local neighborhoods and buildings,” said Mary Clifford, president of The Fine Art Center.Contact this contributing writer at PamDillon@woh.rr.com. HOW TO GO: “Sgt. Smith’s Sketchbook, “ drawings by David L. Smith Where: The Fine Art Center, at Cross Pointe Shopping Center, 101 E. Alex-Bell Road, Centerville Gallery hours: Noon to 8 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays Book cost: $30 More info: 937-293-5381 or www.thefineartcenter.org