Eugene Smith

Our beloved father, Eugene Smith, Jr. was born on November 20, 1947 to the late Eugene Smith, Sr. and Florence M. Smith. He was the eldest of four siblings.
Our Dad began his school career in the Princeton School District. He played basketball at the Junior Varsity and Varsity level. He excelled to become the number two man on the Varsity team. After high school, he continued his higher education by obtaining his Bachelor’s degree and Master’s from the University of Cincinnati with high honors in Physical Education. He then began his teaching career as a Physical Education teacher at Lakota Middle School, where he coached track and field and junior varsity football and basketball.
After the completion of his teaching career, he then obtained employment with Planes Moving and Storage where he was a dedicated employee for 20 years.
During Daddy’s wonderful life, he had many passions. He loved everything to do with basketball, football and outdoor life. He was very adventurous. He loved motorcycles, fast cars, kayacking, scuba diving, camping, the Indianapolis 500, battleships, aircraft carriers and roller coasters. One of his proudest moments is when he earned his pilots license! And I, Doreatha, was the only one adventurous enough to take a flight with him. In the latter part of his life, he was a basketball referee for junior varsity and varsity boys and girls teams for 16 years.
When Dad rededicated his life to the Lord Jesus Christ, he united in fellowship with Tabernacle Bible Church, under the Pastoralship of Dr. Gary G. Hayles. He was appointed Chairman of the Trustee Board where he served faithfully until the evening of February 23, 2013 when the Lord our Savior Jesus Christ called him from labor to reward.
He was preceded in death by his sister, Mary Jo Brown.
He is survived by: three daughters, Doreatha Jean Smith, Dionne Florence Smith and Brittany Brown-Peterson; his sister, Stella (Audley) Lewis and brother, Charles E. Smith; two great uncles, Uncle Tom (Betty) and Alonzo Turner; one uncle, Richard R. (Betty) Bright; his four grand-children, Paris Alexis Dickerson, Philip Golden Dickerson IV, Andrea Simone Countiss and Eugene Devon Countiss; our mother, Brenda Tooson Baldwin; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, colleagues and friends.
He is the greatest Daddy ever!