John Smith

John Edward Smith, Jr.
1925-2022
John Edward Smith was born in January,1925, in Hazard County, Kentucky. During his youth, John enjoyed building model airplanes. John served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, completing two tours of duty in the Pacific. After the war, John attended college on the GI Bill, graduating from the University of Kentucky with a degree in civil engineering and a minor in architecture. While living in Lexington he met the love of his life, Gladys, and they were married in January,1950. John interviewed with Lockheed and was offered a job in Southern California, so the family moved to the San Fernando Valley. John and Gladys were blessed with 5 children: James, Tim, Debbie, Cindy, and Bruce.
After a long and successful career at Lockheed Aerospace, where John worked on such projects as the Lockheed L-188 Electra, U2, the Stealth Fighter and the Space Shuttle, John retired. He was now free to pursue some of his other interests which included golf, fishing and painting. John was a loving husband and a devoted father, grandfather and great-grandfather.
John was predeceased by his daughter Cindy and his wife Gladys. John died this January,2022, from complications from Covid19. He is survived by his sons James, Tim (Barb) and Bruce and his daughter Debbie (Steve) and his 5 grandchildren, Jason, Katie, Genny, Kerry, and Cassidy as well as 5 great grandsons Jaxon, Parker, Donovan, Deen, and Levi. His warm smile, his sense of humor and his generous heart will be missed very much.