He was born December 15, 1924 in Rockbridge County, Va. and grew up in Staunton, Va. He was a son of Homer William and Annie Berry Smith. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of 56 years, Janet Loretta Conner Smith, one sister, Ferbie Virginia Smith Coffey, two brothers, Guy Leslie Smith and Franklin Elwood Smith.
Houston was working in the Norfolk Navy Shipyard as an apprentice shipfitter when the attack on Pearl Harbor occurred. He subsequently left the shipyard and joined to serve in the 8th Air Force during World War II on a B-24 bomber as a waist gunner. He was a 1952 graduate of Virginia Polytechnic Institute in Mechanical Engineering and retired from DuPont as a mechanical engineer with 34 years of service. He was a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and a member of Forest Hills Presbyterian Church for many years.
Surviving are one daughter, Pamela Smith Caldwell (Paul) of Westminster, Co., one son, Houston (Hugh) W. Smith, Jr. (Charlene) of Kernersville, NC, eight grandchildren, six great-grandchildren as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Wendy and Norris E. Mitchell ‘58 Hall (Fund #878256) at Virginia Tech by visiting https://give.vt.edu and noting “in memory of Houston W. Smith” in the Memorial Gifts section. Mr. Smith was a proud alum and gifts will support the new Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering building being built on the Blacksburg campus.
A funeral service will be held at 11:00 am on Tuesday, May 24, 2022 at McKee-Stone Funeral Home Chapel and will be officiated by his niece Christie Hardbarger. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service. Interment will be at Roselawn Burial Park.
