MOUNT VERNON – On Wednesday, May 26, 2021, William “Bill” James Smith passed away in The Villages, Florida. He was born on Sept. 29, 1938, to Alexander James and Dorothy Rose Smith in Cleveland.
Bill graduated from Mount Vernon High School (Class of 1957) and attended Purdue University. He was a proud member of the American Legion and served in the U.S. Army from 1962–1964. Bill worked in hospital finance at Rush Medical Center in Chicago. A lifelong Chicago Cubs and Bears fan, he energetically supported his Ohio State Buckeyes and the Iowa Hawkeyes. Bill loved everything Disney and spent his later retirement years in The Villages, 50 miles north of Disney World. He was known for his infectious humor and outgoing personality. It has been said that Bill never met a stranger.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Kathy Christiansen; and is survived by his son, Wayne, and daughter, Barbara.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Bill’s name be sent to Combat Veterans to Careers in Wildwood, Florida; an organization that assists military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Submitted by Wayne Smith
