John Paul Smith

John Paul Smith, Age 88, of Frederick, MD, died on August 4, 2019. He was born Nov. 6, 1930, to the late A. Garald and Freda (Karickhoff) Smith in Kingwood, WV. John graduated from Masontown HS in 1948. He worked in Erie, PA before enlisting in the Air Force in 1951 during the Korean War, serving in the Philippines and briefly in French Viet Nam. He married Alice Pingley in 1954 and they started a family while he finished his enlistment working at the Pentagon. John earned a BS degree in Electronic Engineering from WVU in 1959. Over his 34-year career he worked for Philco in Philadelphia, Ferroxcube Corp. in Woodstock, NY and Denver, CO, and at Fairchild Space and Defense in Germantown, MD. He held a Director of Engineering position there before retiring in 1993. John was a member of American Legion Post 011, AMVETS Post 007, and Korean War Vets. He was an active member of Trinity United Methodist Church for many years. John enjoyed many activities; especially fishing, hunting, bowling, golfing, traveling, gardening, playing bridge, chess ,softball, and running (including 6 marathons). He will always be remembered for his annual Easter egg hunt. He is survived by Alice, his wife of 65 years and his 4 daughters, Lavon (Mike) Toole, Jeanene (Patrick) Burke, Donna (Abe) Goldstein, and Janice (longtime boyfriend Al Gillich) Fisher. John also has 7 grandchildren (Maureen, Meaghan, Brian, Greg, Eileen, Ryan, and Max), 4 great grandchildren, and 2 nephews, Roger and Dwight Ellifritz. He was preceded in death by his sister, Geneva Hope Ellifritz. The family will receive friends from 4pm to 7pm, on Thursday, August 8, 2019 at the Keeney & Basford Funeral Home, 106 E. Church Street, Frederick. The funeral service will be held at 10:00 AM on Friday, August 9, 2019 at Trinity United Methodist Church, 703 W. Patrick Street, Frederick. Pastor Eliezer Valentin-Castanon will officiate. Interment will be at Resthaven Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Trinity United Methodist Church, 703 West Patrick St., Frederick MD, 21701.