Smith

Richard A. Smith, 93, of Gibsonia and Deerfield Beach, Fla., died at 12:15 a.m. Monday at UPMC Passavant Hospital.

Dick was born on April 25, 1919, in Butler, and was the son of the late Herman and Melvie Smith.

Mr. Smith was a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in petroleum engineering. He was the owner of the MAOCO Drilling and Supply Co, and the former owner of the Mid Atlantic Oil Field Service Co. He was an active developer of gas fields in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia.

Mr. Smith lived a life filled with great moral integrity, courage, deeply held religious beliefs and an unwavering commitment to his wife and children.

He was a charter member and past president of the Penn Glade Lions Club and received the Melvin Jones Fellowship, a special award from Lions International in honor of his dedicated and humanitarian service. He was a member of the St. Catherine of Sweden Catholic Church in Gibsonia and the St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Deerfield Beach, Fla.

He was an honorary life member of the Knights of Columbus and a fourth degree knight. He was a charter member of the International Order of Alhambra, Jaen Caravan 131. He was also a member of the Elks for more than 54 years.

Mr. Smith served as a B-17 pilot in the European Theatre during World War II, flying 18 missions over Germany. He was then the personal pilot for Gen. Prichard, who was in charge of surplus aircraft for the European Theatre after the war. He was a life member of the Eighth Air Force Historical Society.

Surviving are his wife, Barbara A. Smith, who he married Nov. 26, 2001; seven sons, Richard A. Smith Jr. and his wife, Loretta, of Redondo Beach, Calif., Patrick M. Smith and his wife, Rita Marie, of New Cumberland, Pa., Gary E. Smith of Huntingtown, Md., David J. Smith and his wife, Jamie, of Valencia, Kevin T. Smith and his wife, Sonya, of Morgantown, W.Va., Stephen F. Smith and his wife, Lydia, of Nacogdoches, Texas, and Mark V. Smith and his wife, Teddi, of Flatwoods, Ky.; and two daughters, Dr. Kathleen Mizik and her husband, Ted, of Irwin, Pa., and Rosemary L. Natale and her husband, Ralph, of Baden, Pa.He also is survived by two stepsons, Kevin E. Warren and his wife, Stephanie, of Auburndale, Fla., and Michael D. Warren and his wife, Lucretia, of Deerfield Beach, Fla.; two stepdaughters, Kathleen M. Carlton and her husband, James, of Kingsport, Tenn., and Meg A. Foster and her husband, Daniel, of Kingsport, Tenn.Mr. Smith also is survived by 33 grandchildren; seven and one half great-grandchildren; and 33 nieces and nephews, too many to mention.Preceding him in death was his first wife, Nell McCarren Smith; two brothers, Floyd J. Smith and Paul C. Smith; four sisters, Naomi M. Bayer, Ruth A. Evans, Virginia Krause and Joan Gumpper; and a daughter-in-law, Anne Fordham Smith.

SMITH — Friends of Richard A. Smith, who died Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, will be received at the Geibel Funeral Home, 201 E. Cunningham St., Butler, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday.A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Holy Sepulcher Roman Catholic Church, Glade Mills. The interment will follow in St. John's Cemetery, Coylesville.For health reasons, the family has requested that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to the North Hills UPMC Passavant Cancer Center, the Western Pennsylvania ALS Society, or to the St. Catherine of Sweden Catholic Church.Information also is available at www.geibelfuneralhome.com.