Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....SMith, Calvin Jr. June 11, 2025 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Patricia Currigan currigan1932@concast.net October 8, 2025, 5:17 pm Hasting's Reminder - June 2025 CALVIN SMITH, JR. passed away peacefully on June 11, 2025 surrounded by his loving family. Calvin was born October 6, 1934, in Sebewa Township,MI, to Calvin and Stella Smith. After a wonderful upbringing on the family farm in Ionia County,MI, and graduated from Lake Odessa High School, Calvin headed off to East Lansing where he was a proud Michigan State Spartan graduating in 1957 with a degree in Agricultural Engineering. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in December 1957 after participating in the Air Force ROTC program and proudly served his country in the United States Air Force for 20 years from 1958-1978. He was a Master Navigator with over 4,900 flying hours in seven different aircraft; T-29, KC97, KC-135, C-47,C-119, B-52, and EC-135. Calvin spent the majority of his flying time in the KC-97 and KC-135 aerial refueling planes. He was always courageous and not afraid of trying something new, as he stated, "I was 24 years old when I entered the service by myself. I was a farm boy that climbed on an airplane in Grand Rapids,MI, headed for San Antonio, Texas, scared and not knowing what to expect." After graduating from navigator training at Harlingen Air Force Base, TX, Calvin was stationed at Fores AFB, KS, where he met his loving wife, Alice, in Topeka,KS. THey were married on September 2, 1961, at Forge Chapel. Their Air Force journey took them to Castle AFB, California(with 6-week old Kevin in tow after being born at Forbes); Roswell AFB,NM; Homestead AFB,FL (Ken Born); Westover AFB,MA (Kyle born);HQMACV, Saigon,Vietnam; Blytheville AFB, AR; and finally Wright-Patterson AFB,OH (notice that the "IO" was left off). Alice followed him every step of the way except for wisely his one year in Vietnam; however, she proudly supported him with care packages and reel to reel tape recordings from home. Calvin retired from the Air Force in 1978 after a distinguished career, and he and Alice decided to call Fairborn,OH, home and still live in the same house they moved into in 1973. Calvin once again took a courageous leap of faith and enrolled iN Wright State University where he received a degree in accounting in 1980, followed by passing the Certified Public Accountant exam, and another successful 20 year career in public accounting retiring for a second time in 2001. While Calvin had two careers that anyone would be proud of his most remarkable achievements were in serving and being a friend to others outside of work. He was the best husband, father, brother, son, uncle, grandpa, great grandpa and friend whom anyone could wish for. He served Boy Scouts for 20+ years, five years as Scout Master, where he helped all three of his sons become Eagle Scouts. He was an active member of Fairborn Council 3724 Knights of Columbus for 43 years, where he helped with everything from serving breakfast and dinner to bingo. Additional Comments: U.S. Air Force (1958-1978) Vietnam War File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/s/smith49093nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 3.5 Kb