Wendell G. Smith, 83

SOUTH PARIS — Wendell G. Smith, 83, of Norway, died Friday, Aug. 9, 2013 at the Maine Veterans’ Home in South Paris.

He was born in Bridgton on Nov. 28, 1929, the son of George and Evelyn Gordon Smith. He graduated from Bridgton High School in 1948 and the Maine Vocational Technical Institute in June 1951.

Wendell joined the U.S. Navy in 1951, achieving the rank of MR2, before being discharged in August 1955. He was in the Korean War and served on the USS Delta AR-9. Wendell spent a lot of time in Japan. He received the National Defense Service medal, United Nations Service medal, Korean Service medal (one star) and the Good Conduct medal.

Wendell married June Sturtevant on July 28, 1957. He was a machinist for 39 years, working at Knowlton Machine Shop in Westbrook for nine years and Maine Machine Products in South Paris for 30 years. He always liked to be outdoors; he enjoyed gardening and chopping wood with his father-in-law on the farm. He was an avid reader, liked to putter and tinker, and enjoyed old-fashioned dances and family gatherings.

He is survived by his wife, June; his children, Rebecca Barlow of South Paris, Wendy Lewis of Sheridan, Ill., Wanda Smith of Bowdoin, Davy Smith of Oxford, Heidi Roy of Bryant Pond and Holly Ellingwood of South Paris; 18 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; a brother, Gerald of Harrison; and a sister, Idyllene Warren of Harmony.

Online condolences may be shared with his family at www.chandlerfunerals.com

Funeral services will be held on Friday, Aug. 16 at 2 p.m. at Chandler Funeral Homes & Cremation Service, 45 Main Street, South Paris with interment with military honors to follow at Wayside Cemetery in West Paris. Family and friends may call at the funeral home on Thursday from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m.

Donations in his memory may be made to the Maine Veterans’ Home, Activity Fund, 477 High St., South Paris, ME 04281.