More detail on this person: Steven Raymond Smith Anchorage Daily News September 22, 2002 Anchorage resident STEVEN RAYMOND SMITH, 55, died of esophogeal carcinoma Sept. 14, 2002, in his wife's arms at his home on the Hillside. A Mass will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Holy Family Cathedral. A graveside service with full military honors will be at 3 p.m. at Fort Richardson National Cemetery, followed by a celebration of life at Dimond Center Hotel, 700 E. Dimond Blvd. Mr. Smith was born May 22, 1947, in Cincinnati, Ohio, and served in the U.S. Army from 1966 to 1970. His family wrote that during his service he was a command pilot with the Aviation Assault Support 101st Airborne and while in the field he was appointed directly by the president, Lyndon B. Johnson, to first lieutenant and then captain. He earned the Purple Heart, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star and Army Air Medal. After his honorable discharge in 1970 he moved to Alaska to begin flying for Alaska Helicopters. He retired in 1995 as president. Within a year, he went to work for Unitech. Later, Mr. Smith designed and set up a company of environmental equipment and supplies for Bowhead Manufacturing. He accrued more than 38,000 flight hours. He was specifically named in a number of government contracts as the only acceptable pilot for Alaska high-tech flights. He was checked out in fixed, rotor and jet aircraft and held all the licenses. Mr. Smith sat on many boards and as officer of most, including Tort Reform, Alaska Air Carriers, Regulation by Negotiation in D.C. and the U.S. Helicopter Association. He also served on Hillside East Community Council and he was on the Petroleum Club of Alaska's Food and Beverage Committee. He supported many charitable organizations and made many trips to Juneau to lobby on behalf of numerous issues and organizations. He is survived by his wife, Toni Marie (Elmore) Smith; daughter and son-in-law, Tracey and James Sexton, grandchildren, Catherine, Robert and Joshua; stepchildren, John Padgett II, his son, John III, Trey, Jason and Renee Padgett, Marlynn Gibson and her husband, Brian, their children Brandon, Garren and Malyssa; brother and sister-in-law, Lawrence and Kathy Smith; mother-in-law, Elsie Hampton and her spouse, Paul; and many other family members and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lawrence and Catherine Smith; grandson, Jason Padgett III; and his first wife, Sherry Ann Smith.
Burial information: Fort Richardson National Cemetery, Fort Richardson, AK
This information was last updated 08/24/2020
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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