George Drayton Smith

He grew up in Lake Jackson at 110 Willenberg Road in a home built by his father after returning from World War II, a house shaded by a large oak in the front yard and shaped by hard work and devotion. There, his mother raised four children while his father worked and continued building the home, creating a foundation of steadiness, curiosity, and love that stayed with George throughout his life.

George graduated from Brazosport High School, Class of 1963. Shortly afterward, he entered the United States Navy, serving honorably from 1963 to 1965 with Fleet Composite Squadron Four. His time around naval aircraft sparked a lasting interest in helicopters and flight.

He later built a long career as a helicopter pilot with PHI Aviation, transporting crews to offshore oil rigs throughout the Gulf of Mexico. Flying suited him. It required focus, skill, and a comfort with wide open spaces, qualities that came naturally to him.

At different points in his life he spent time in the western states, flying helicopters in Montana and exploring the wilderness of Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado. The contrast between those landscapes and the Gulf Coast waters where he grew up stayed with him, and he eventually returned and spent his later years in Clute, Texas.

George also loved caring for The Folly, the boat his father built. From Surfside Beach he took family and friends out for many days on the water. His niece and nephew remember standing on the bow while he steered, dolphins appearing in the Gulf beside them and the horizon stretching endlessly ahead.

He had a mischievous sense of humor and an unmistakable laugh, and he rarely passed up an opportunity for a little adventure.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Polly Smith; his father, Drayton Smith; his brother, Lonnie; and his sister, Tanja.

He is survived by his brother, Roc Smith; his niece, April Cooper of Boulder County, Colorado (spouse Alexander and son Gabriel); his nephew, Joe Evans III of League City, Texas (spouse April Michelle and daughters Madelyn, Sophia, and Olivia); and his nephew, Charles Taylor Jr. of League City, Texas (spouse April Dawn, son Drayton, and daughter Rowan).

A memorial service for George will take place at Restwood Funeral Home in Clute, Texas at 11:00 a.m. on March 21, 2026.