Yancey County NcArchives Obituaries.....Smith, William  June 6, 2007
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Faye Satterthwaite f.e.satterthwaite@cox.net June 8, 2007, 2:57 pm

Daily Press, Newport  News, VA, June 8, 2007
Newport News -- William Smith of Lyliston Lane, Newport News, went to be with 
our Lord on Wednesday, June 6, 2007, after a lng battle with cancer.  He was 
born in New Dale, NC, on December 6, 1921, to Charles and Allie Robinson Smith.

A sterling example of "The Greatest Generation," Bill Smith served his country 
heroically during World War II.  He was inducted on August 10, 1942, and 
honorably discharged at Fort Bragg, NC, on December 20, 1945.  As an anti-tank 
gunner in the 325th glider Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division, he 
fought in combat operations in Europe, including the "D-Day" invasion of 
Normandy, The Battle of Holland or Operation Market Garden ("A Bridge too 
Far") and he Battle of the Bulge.  He was wounded in action in France.

Moving to Newport News after the war, he met and married Esper Birge Phillips 
Smith, a single mother of five young children.  He built the home where he and 
Esper lived their lives and where he passed away on Wednesday.  He was 
employed briefly with The Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company and 
joined the staff of The Newport News Redevelopment Housing Authority, where he 
served continuously for more than 50 years, until his retirement in 1996 at 
the age of 75.  He was a long term member of Ivy Farms Baptist church, Newport 
News.

In 2005, he was preceded in death by his eldest stepdaughter, Betty Lou 
Phillips Lee.

Mr. Smith is survived by his wife, Esper Birge Phillips Smith; four 
stepchildren, Joan Millar of Clermont, GA, Joyce Knox of Seaford, Frances 
Higgins of Newport News, Dr. Harvey Phillips of Ashland, and their spouses.  
He is also survived by 16 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren and five great-
great-grandchildren in Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Texas, and Virginia, and 
also nieces and nephews in North Carolina.

A special thanks is extended by the family to the staff of Heartland Hospice.

The family will receive friends from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday, June 9, at 
Peninsula Funeral Home.  A funeral service will begin at 11 a.m. in the 
Peninsula Funeral Home Chapel.  Burial will be private.

Memorial donations may take the form of contributions to the Peninsula Rescue 
Mission, 3700 Huntington Avenue, Newport News, VA 23607.

Peninsula Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

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