Kern County CA Obituary Project Obituaries..... Smeck, Emery J. January 6 2005
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K T bluewolf@onemain.com January 10, 2005, 7:27 pm

The Bakersfield Californian 
Emery J. Smeck
January 18, 1920 January 6, 2005

In accordance with his wishes, private burial services will be held at 
Hillcrest Memorial Park for Emery J. Smeck, 84, who passed away January 6, 
2005 in Bakersfield. 

Emery was born in Lancaster, Ohio on January 18, 1920. The youngest of four 
entrepreneurial brothers. Emerys first business was a parking lot he acquired 
shortly before his high school graduation in downtown Lancaster. In 1940, he 
enlisted in the army air corp and was studying at the Boeing Flight School 
within the Alameda Naval Air Station in Oakland, CA at the outbreak of WWII. 
Within weeks of Pearl Harbor, his unit joined the 51st fighter group of the 
Flying Tigers in the pacific theater of operations. He served in India, Burma, 
and China for the duration of the war. Upon completion of his military 
service, Emery earned his accounting degree at Ohio University and moved back 
to his beloved California where his military service had begun. 

After a short apprenticeship with a southern California based accounting firm, 
Emery established his own successful accounting practice in Bakersfield in 
1951. He continued an active role in the operation of the business until 
health problems forced him to scale back his participation in 2002. In over 
fifty years as a certified public accountant, Emery had established a 
reputation for his ethics, integrity, and honesty among his clients and peers. 
A tireless worker, he could often be found at the office seven days a week 
working for the benefit of his clients. He maintained a true passion and love 
for his profession and for the clients who entrusted him until the day he 
died. As for me (Stephen), it has been a unique and wonderful gift from God to 
have worked side-by-side with my dad for the last ten years. 

Outside of his family and work, Emerys greatest joy was disappearing into the 
Sierra Nevada mountains above Porterville, CA. In 1952, he and a brother built 
a summer cabin above the mountain community of Camp Nelson, which still stands 
today. In his younger days, he and friends spent many an extended weekend 
backpacking in what is now the Golden Trout Wilderness of the Southern Sierra 
with his horses, Toby and David. His love of the mountains was passed on to 
his family, all of whom are avid fisherman and hikers. 

Emery leaves behind his wife of forty-three years, Margaret, and their 
children, Debbie of Fresno, CA, Woodrow and wife, Karen of Moorpark, CA, and 
Stephen of Bakersfield. In addition, he leaves behind his loving 
granddaughters, Allison and Megan.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the John M. Nelson 
Conservancy, P.O. Box 2161, Camp Nelson, CA 93208-2161 in memory of Emery 
Smeck or to the charity of your choice.


Additional Comments:
Volunteer submission - No relation to deceased.

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