John Torrence Smith

Walker and Sydney Smith, John was the eldest of his siblings and a man whose life journey

was marked by courage, integrity, and deep devotion to family.

After spending his early childhood with his mother, John moved to California during the

summer of his senior year in High School and graduated from Menlo-Atherton High School.

Shortly thereafter, he was drafted into the U.S. Army, where he discovered his lifelong

appreciation for architecture while serving as a draftsman. He was stationed in Monterey for

basic training and served in Thailand, earning respect not only for his precision and discipline

but for his quiet leadership and service-oriented spirit.

In 1967, John’s life changed forever when he met the love of his life, Betty at Mitchell Park in

Palo Alto. Their connection was instant and undeniable, it was love at first sight. They began

dating briefly for 3 months before they married in a modest ceremony in Reno, Nevada. Also

brought into this union were two children in which John embraced them with open arms and

an open heart. John adored the children, and he adopted them as his own, cementing his role

as a loving husband and devoted father.

John and Betty’s partnership was one of purpose, laughter, and shared dreams. They worked

together at Amphenol Space & Missile Systems, relocated briefly to Los Angeles with the

company, and then returned to the Bay Area to settle in East Palo Alto. In 1968, they

purchased their first home in East Palo Alto, where they lived for 11 years before purchasing

their next family home in Santa Clara, CA in 1979, where they resided for 2 years. Finally in

1981, they purchased their forever home in Milpitas, CA, where they created decades of joyful

memories until this day.

Professionally, John dedicated 26 years to United Airlines, where he was known for his

reliability and strong work ethics. Even outside of work, John never stopped growing; he

enrolled in night classes at College of San Mateo, cultivated a passion for photography, while

he maintained his prize-winning garden that consistently yielded the juiciest tomatoes on the

block.

John had a zest for life: he traveled the world with Betty, visiting Japan, Africa, France, and

beyond. John loved basketball and was a Laker fan, he enjoyed classic cars, collecting

shoes, and fishing on his boat. Fitness was a priority as he enjoyed long walks around town,

and for relaxation he spent quiet afternoons reading. John believed in showing up, doing

things right, living well and he did that with humility and grace. John will be deeply missed and

forever remembered as a man of integrity, generosity, and unwavering love.