Wilfred Thomas "Tom" Smith

Wilfred Thomas “Tom” Smith, 91, affectionately known as the unofficial “mayor of Mt. Summit,” died early Wednesday morning, Sept. 18, 2019.

He was born Oct. 24, 1927 in Webb City, Mo., a son of Oral and Pauline Moore Woodrum Smith. He was proud of the Webb City Cardinals high school football team and was eager for someone to look up the score for him each weekend.

Like the flowers he grew in his garden for so many years, Tom had a colorful personality, never meeting a stranger.

An avid reader with a thirst for knowledge, Tom was ‘final Jeopardy’ smart. At times he read the dictionary like it was a novel and was always encouraging his children to “look it up” whenever a question arose. In his later years, conversations often sparked his desire for more knowledge and the call to “look it up on your Facebook.”

Tom served proudly in the U.S. Navy from 1945 to 1948 and was able to go on an “Honor Flight” to Washington, D.C. in September of 2014 with his daughter, Becky.

He was a dedicated, meticulous worker in a variety of settings – from Myers Hardware Store in Joplin, Mo. to Modernfold Industries in New Castle and, after retirement, the Summit Mart in Mt. Summit.

Tom’s servant’s heart was evident in so many ways during his lifetime. He was a Sunday School teacher and elder at the Mt. Summit Christian Church for many years. Church members knew him not only for his beautiful impromptu communion table prayers but also his hilarious ‘chicken stories’ told when he served as lay leader.

During his active years at the church, Tom taught not only young people in his Sunday School classes, but later took on the role as leader of the “Harvesters,” a group of senior citizens who studied the Bible together each Sunday morning.

He also served as Mt. Summit Town Clerk and as treasurer of the Prairie Knoll Homeowner’s Association when that housing addition first opened.
Tom married Sara Jane Beavers Sept. 21, 1953, a love story that began with a series of letters from where he was stationed in Hawaii serving the U.S. Navy. They were married 56 years before she preceded him in death on Feb. 17, 2010.

He loved both the quiet beauty of hummingbirds and the loud drum beats of marching bands. For many years, Tom attended both the Indiana State Fair Marching Band Contest and the Drum Corps International competitions in Indianapolis.

He also loved old movies, crossword puzzles, walnuts, pumpkins and popcorn, the latter two of which he grew in his garden every year. He was a formidable Euchre player, where Hoyle was his best friend, going alone was common and “crossing corners” with an opponent who did the same was never out of the question.

Those who knew Tom were familiar with two of his common phrases. His hilarious stories were almost always accented by “would you believe…” while promises made by politicians were often met with a skeptical “I’m from Missouri.”

He is survived by two sons, John (Cindy) Smith of Richmond and Jim (Nikki) Smith of New Castle; a daughter, Becky (Darrel) Radford of New Castle; six grandchildren, Scott (Juli), Ryan (Whitney), Jeremy and Matthew Smith, Molly (Adam) Dobis and Derek Radford; five great-grandchildren, Cooper, MacKenzie, Jackson, Frankie and Maggie; one brother, Curt, of Oronogo, Mo. and two sisters-in-law, Mary Lou Wiatt and Nancy Beavers of New Castle.

He was preceded in death by five brothers and three sisters.

Tom’s family wishes to express heartfelt appreciation to the staff at Addison Place for their excellent care during his final months, particularly Amanda Saunders; and to the staff at Henry Community Health Hospice.

Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday, September 21, 2019 at the Mount Summit Christian Church with Ben French officiating. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, September 20, 2019 at Hinsey-Brown Funeral Service in New Castle. Memorial contributions may be made to the Mt. Summit Christian Church. You may express condolences or share a memory of Tom at www.hinsey-brown .com