Obituary of Eldon Dee Smith Ph.D

<b>Lexington, KY</b> Eldon Smith, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus in the Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Kentucky, was born on June 15th, 1922 and passed away on Friday, November 28th, 2014. He was born and grew up on the family farm five miles west of Westfield, Wisconsin. He "boarded" in town to attend high school. Attendance at the University of Wisconsin was interrupted by World War II and the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Dr. Smith was inducted into the Army Air Corp in 1943 where he spent a good part of his military career in England working with radar technology on a Ground Controlled Approach instrument landing system for pilots on military bases. Upon discharge from the military in 1946, he spent a year in Korea as a civilian technician employed by Philco, working on the same instrument landing system. He returned to the University of Wisconsin, met and married Martha Thouvenell, and had two children, Grant and Susan. He graduated with a Ph.D. in 1954. Dr. Smith taught at the University of Florida and then the University of Tennessee. The family moved to <b>Lexington, KY</b> in 1957 as Dr. Smith continued his career as a professor, this time in the Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of Kentucky. In the 1960's he also worked as a research consultant, taking his family to exotic places like Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, the Dominican Republic, Kenya and Thailand. Throughout his academic career he won numerous awards. In the early1970's Martha and Dr. Smith went their separate ways. Later he met Patricia Y. Halliday, Professor of English at the University of Kentucky, through mutual friends. They married in 1979. The two Dr. Smiths traveled the world together visiting former students and making new friends. Dr. Smith retired from the University of Kentucky, at the age of 70 in 1992. He spent the remainder of his life traveling with Patricia, attending concerts and theater events and reading. He had a special love for his grandchildren/great grandchildren and (farm boy at heart) gardening. His beautiful roses, dahlias, and ample vegetable garden have been enjoyed by many and captured photographically through the skills of a dear friend. Besides his wife Patricia, he is survived by sister, Elva Werner (Don, MD), son Grant Smith (Lou), daughter Susan Collender (Bob), 3 grandchildren/spouses, several grandchildren and great grandchildren. This blended family also includes daughter Mary (Tim), daughter Becky (Bob), son Greg (Estelle), daughter Lisa (Khalil) and several more grandchildren/spouses and great grandchildren. <b>Funeral Information</b> There will be a time of sharing beginning at 1 PM, followed by a Gathering of Family and Friends from 2-4 PM, Friday, December 5, 2014 at Clark Legacy Center in Brannon Crossing