William Arthur Smith

William A. Smith, 75, passed away peacefully on June 28, 2025 in Lexington. Born in Fremont to Virginia Rose and Clayton Smith on September 23, 1949, Bill had paper routes in small towns across northwest Ohio, including Woodville and Bettsville, before his family settled in Tiffin. Bill’s sisters and brothers – older brother Mike, little sister Mary Lou, little brother Schmidt, baby sister Peach – brought him much joy, and together made many wonderful memories playing baseball and running around Cherry Street. After graduating from Calvert High School, Bill played basketball at Tiffin University.

Moving to Mansfield in the 70s, Bill began his insurance career; he worked for several firms in town before settling in and retiring from Roby-Foster-Miller-Earick Insurance after 30 years, where he made lifelong friends and vaporized from internal meetings.

Bill loved traveling and taking the longer route (always driving!), with Lake Erie, St. Augustine, Cooperstown, Virgin Islands, Cape Cod, Alaska and Montreal among some of his fondest memories. A long-suffering Cleveland fan, he bestowed his love of the Indians/Guardians/Cavs/Browns to his kids and treated them to many games. At least he could generally rely on the Buckeyes, and occasionally the Sabres, for a win. Music, cranked as loudly as possible, was another favorite he passed down, playing the dashboard piano to everything from Billy Joel and Pink Floyd to Beethoven and George Gershwin in the garage. Bill loved a dumb joke and never tired of plopping his library card down for a dinner check. He completed a crossword daily, mulling over it for hours and always using a pen.

A talented artist, Bill particularly enjoyed watercolors and pencils of birds, lighthouses and covered bridges – he shared many of his originals with family and friends over the years, so his artwork lives on across the country. He also discovered a passion for writing, proudly researching and authoring a bi-monthly column, “Ohio History 101,” for Heart of Ohio magazine for many years.

Serving his community on several boards during his professional career, none was dearer to Bill than the Ohio Bird Sanctuary, where he acted as a board member from 2008-2014 and board president from 2014-2018. He was so proud to see the wonderful facility OBS blossomed into and enjoyed taking visitors out to show it off.

A man of many names – Dad, GrandBill, Brother Bill, Smitty and Schmidt – Bill is lovingly remembered by his daughter Mandi, son-in-law Ross and grandchildren Wesley and Alice; son Brian; siblings Mike (Barb), Mary (Dave), Tom (Judy) and Laura; girlfriend Nancy; as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Bill was preceded in death by his parents Ginny and Carl; and brother-in-law Brian.

Mandi and Ross express their heartfelt thanks to the nurses and aides at Lexington Court, Pathways Hospice Care and Ohio Health CVICU/Cardio Stepdown for their wonderful care, patience and compassion, as well as to Johner, Becki and Judy for their unending love and support.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Ohio Bird Sanctuary or Marblehead Lighthouse Historical Society, two of Bill’s favorite Ohio treasures.

We love you, Dad – lightbulb, got ya.