Obituary of Edwin J. Smith

Edwin J. Smith, 79, of Rodman, died Monday March 20, 2017 at his home where he had been under the care of his family and Hospice of Jefferson County. A memorial service will be at 11:30 am April 1st at the Piddock Funeral Home, Adams, with Rev. Steven Murray, pastor of Holy Family Church, Watertown officiating. Visitation will precede the service beginning at 10:00 am. Born February 6, 1938 in Watertown, son of Harold and Margaret Smith, he attended school in Watertown. He worked on the Glen Wadsworth Farm in Tylerville before entering into the United States Navy on January 1955. He served on the USS Tarawa aircraft carrier Following his discharge on January 1959 he went to work at the New York Air Brake as a millwright welder, retiring after 41 years in 2000. He married Naomi June Nash of LaFargeville in Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church on January 11, 1964. The couple lived in Watertown, later moving to Adams Center in 1970. Mrs. Smith died March 14, 2000. He later married Deanna Lantier Smith on June 19, 2004 in Watertown. The couple have lived in Rodman since their marriage and spent their winters in Hudson, FL. Surviving besides his wife Deanna, are two daughters Malinda (Timothy) Nicholson, Central Square, Laura (Jeffrey) Stevens, Adams Center; three grandchildren, one great grandson; four step children Kimberly Boulio, Andrew Smith, Mark Smith, all of Rodman, Michael Smith, Watertown; several step grandchildren; one brother Floyd Shaver, one sister Ellen Lolar, several brothers in law, sisters in law, cousins, nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by three brothers, Donny and Doug Shaver, and Sterling Bosco. Mr. Smith enjoyed riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle, gardening, hunting, playing cards, snowmobiling, reading and watching Western movies. He was known as a tinkerer fixing things for his family and friends. He was a former member of the Watertown American Legion Post 61. Donations in his memory may be made to Hospice of Jefferson County, 1398 Gotham Street, Watertown, NY 13601; Holy Family Church, 129 Winthrop Street, Watertown, NY 13601 or Clear Path For Vets (clearpath4vets.com), 1223 Salt Springs Road, Chittenango, NY 13037.