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View a eulogy for Donald Eugene Smith, USMA '55, who passed away on March 11, 2021.

Donald Eugene Smith

West Point, 1955

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Col. (R) George W. Page on March 25, 2021:

Eulogy for Donald Eugene Smith, USMA '55, who passed away on March 11, 2021 at his home in Vero Beach, FL.

Don was born on April 14th, 1933 in Iowa into a well traveled military family, His father was a LTC, probably in the Ordnance Corps. Don considered Grand Island, Nebraska, to be his home from which he was appointed to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point with the Class of 470 who graduared in June of 1955. President Eisenhower gave the commencement address and individually presented the class their BS in Engineering Degrees and commissions in the Regular Army or U.S. Air Force,

He was in Company H-1 while at the academy and excelled in Football for three years as well as Track for four years. He was the captain of the Track his team his senior year. He was a Corporal his junior year and a Lieutenant his senior year. Graduating 435 out of 470 he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Infantry. His first duty station was at Gary A.F. Base in San Marcus, TX, for Primary Flight Training with the U.S. Air Force. After that the Army Flight School Class of 56-2 went to Fort Rucker, AL, for Army Aviation Training in the Cessna L-19 "Birddog" single engine aircraft. After a short tour of duty at Fort Riley, KS, Don went to Korea and flew as a pilot with I Corps Artillery. Several years later he told me that he had suffered from radiation illness by transporting hazardous items in Korea. After transferring to the Transportation Corps he resigned from the US Army in 1959 and pursued a very successful commercial career in digital computers.

He started at IBM in their Applied Science Program which led to a long ten year career in the computer software industry designing, producing, selling, and managing computer software. He worked for Microwave Communications Inc.(MCI) and became the Chief Executive Officer. MCI Communications Corp. (originally Microwave Communications, Inc.) was a telecommunications company headquartered in Washington, D.C. that was at one point the second-largest long-distance provider in the United States. MCI was instrumental in legal and regulatory changes that led to the breakup of the monopoly of AT&T Corporation and introduced competition in the telephone industry.

Don Smith became president of Auto-trol in 1974 and served for several years. He also served later as the Chief Finance Office (CFO) of Auto-Trol.

About this time he bought a twin engine Hatteras Yacht Cruiser which he kept in Mobile Bay, AL. Hr called me to come and visit because he was having trouble synchronizing the engines which were vibrating, I had been cruising the West Indies since 1977 in my 47 foot Ketch. We had a great time working on his yacht and cruising down and out of Mobile Bay into the Gulf of Mexico. The engine problem was later resolved by Hatteras Yachts. .

Don and his second wife, Jilla, moved close to the Woerners and Pages on Lake Murray in the midlands of South Carolina in 2015. There they owned a small pontoon boat, popular on the lake with senior citizens . Don and I often talked at our home about personal finances and estate planning. We next visited them last year in Florida after they moved to the Vero Beach area.

Don suffered major injuries returning a tennis ball hit by his youngest son.
He fell and broke his bones in his arm, leg, and pelvis, which was crushed.
He became infected with Covid-19 and was hospitalized, recovered, and sent home, only to be re-admitted to the hospital. He also suffered from an enlarged prostrate,

He was bedridden and covered with casts when he passed away in his home on March 11th 2021. His death was posssibly from weakened bones that failed to heal probably because of the hazardous radiation he received in Korea many years ago! His healtgh issues was compounded by the limited medical facilities in the Vero Beach area.

The 1955 West Point Year Book entry for Company H-1, written by his roommate, and closest lifelong friend, describes Don as easy going and likeable. How true! Everyone who knew Don liked him and will miss him.

Donald Eugene Smith leaves a wife, Jilla, and three of five surviving children.

I wish I had spent more time enjoying their company and learning more of his challenges and successes in the computer software world.

Col. George W, Page, U.S. Army Ret,
USMA Class of 1955

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