He was born on a farm near Newport, Pa. as one of seven sons to the late Frank O. Smith and Maude Scheafer Smith. Shortly after graduating from Penn State University in 1955, he reported to Fort Benning as a newly minted second lieutenant. After completion of the Infantry Basic Officers Course and Airborne School, he joined the 11th Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Ky. For the next 25 years he served as a commander or staff officer with numerous airborne units within the U.S., Europe, and Vietnam.
While serving as a ROTC instructor at the University of South Dakota, he met and married the love of his life, Jane Marie Vincent. They both became avid tennis players and participated in numerous state and national tournaments before she passed away in 2012.After retiring from the military, he was the senior ROTC instructor at Jordan High School for many years.
He is survived by his son, Kenneth Wade (Elizabeth) Smith, a granddaughter Kathyrn E. Smith, and two brothers, Paul Smith of Pittsburgh and Robert Smith of Baltimore, and many nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held at 1:00 PM on Friday, September 11, 2026, followed by a 2:00 PM memorial service at Striffler-Hamby Funeral Home. A short graveside service with military funeral honors will be held at Parkhill Cemetery right after the memorial service and will include an honor guard detail, a 21-gun salute, and the playing of taps.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to The Carpenter’s Way Ranch, the Methodist Home’s Columbus campus, in memoriam of Kenneth W. Smith. 1645 Hunter Road, Cataula, GA 31804. (706) 322-5406.
