Francis C. ‘Smitty’ Smith Of Hampton Bays Dies June 8

Francis C. “Smitty” Smith of Hampton Bays died on June 8, 2019.

A 1941 graduate of Hampton Bays High School, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps on August 7, 1942. Upon graduation as a demolition specialist engineer, and qualified to instruct at the school, he chose to go overseas with his battalion. He served 32 consecutive months overseas in places including Guadalcanal, Bougainville, Guam, Okinawa, Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan and as a member of the Tokyo Bay Occupation Force TF-31, which participated in the initial landing and occupation of the Tokyo Bay area and the capture of HUMs Nagato which symbolized the unconditional and complete surrender of the Japanese Navy on August 30, 1945. Wounded five times he received the Purple Heart, Asiatic Pacific with three stars, Good Conduct Medal American Theater, World War II Victory Medal and Navy Citation. He was honorably discharged August 14, 1946.

He worked at the Hampton Bays Post Office for 30 years and was the officer in charge when he retired in 1977. Survivors said he loved his family, hunting, golfing, scooting all over town in his golf cart, and life, and that he lived it his way, with a smile and a kind word for everyone.

Mr. Smith was a member of VFW Post 5350, was a Past Commander of Hand Aldrich Post 924 of Hampton Bays, a lifetime member of the Elks, a member of the Knights of Columbus at St. Rosalie’s Church, drove for the Southampton Volunteer Ambulance under Hans Wobst for many years and was an Exempt Member of the Hampton Bays Fire Department.

He is survived by his wife of 72 years, Sylvia Catena Smith; three children, David (U.S. Air Force Retired) and wife Sue of Hampton Bays, Sylvia Peixotto of Colorado and Sharon McGann of Hampton Bays; six grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and a brother, John Smith of Colorado.

Visitation was at the Scott-Rothwell Funeral Home in Hampton Bays on June 12. A funeral Mass will be held on Thursday, June 13, at 10:30 a.m. at the Church of St. Rosalie in Hampton Bays; interment will follow at Sacred Hearts Cemetery in Southampton.

Memorial donations may be made to Hand Aldrich Post 924 of Hampton Bays, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5350 in Westhampton Beach, Hampton Bays Volunteer Ambulance Corps, or a favorite charity.