R. Smith

R. Winfield Smith, 94, passed away on October 3, 2013. “Win” was the husband of Joan T. Smith of Marlborough Township. They were married for 49 years. Win was born on February 7, 1919 in Albion, Pennsylvania to the late Ralph and Ruth Smith. He graduated from Albion High School in 1936. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Oberlin College in 1940 and a Master of Arts degree from Ohio State University in 1941. In World War II he was a Lieutenant in the Army Medical Corp. For many years he served as Executive Director of the American Lung Association of Pennsylvania and took early retirement in 1974 to spend more time with his family and tend to the farm he enjoyed. Throughout his career, Win was involved in many professional organizations. He was President of the Pennsylvania Health Council, the Pennsylvania Public Health Association, the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, and the National School Boards Association. He was also a Fellow of the American Public Health Association and Honorary Member of the Public Health Association of Great Britain. Win was very active in his community where he lived for approximately 60 years. He served as a member of the Upper Perkiomen School Board for 28 years and as its president from 1955 to 1958. He had the distinction of serving as the Founding President of Youth and Family Services and of the Upper Perkiomen Child Care Center, and as a founding member of Life Long Learning. He also served a term as president of the Upper Perkiomen Senior Center and as a board member of many community organizations, including Open Line and the Upper Perkiomen Valley Library. Win was also a member of New Goshenhoppen Church in East Greenville. An active volunteer in public education for many years, Win served on the Upper Perkiomen School Board from 1954 to 1982. He was on the board of directors of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association for several years and was its president from 1962-1963. His active participation in the affairs of the National School Boards Association spanned many years and he served as its president from 1968-1969, the first person from Pennsylvania to serve in that position. More recently, he was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Montgomery County Community College for twelve years and served as Chairman of its Curriculum Committee. He published many articles in educational journals and was a leading public speaker in education throughout the United States. Several years ago he wrote a book on education entitled The Rise and Fall of Public Education in America. His book has been highly commended by several top educational leaders in Pennsylvania and the country. Survivors: Wife Joan; daughter Barbara and husband Ronald Reel of Arlington, VA; daughter Bonnie and husband James Ingram of Port Charlotte, FL; daughter Jennifer and husband Rock Schuler of Brookeville, MD; Heather and husband Kevin Maiden of Pennsburg, PA; and Melissa and husband Carey Chen of Hanover, NH. Win also leaves seven wonderful grandsons whom he cherished: Andrew Schuler; Kyle, Nathan, Ryan, and Aaron Maiden; and Myles and Mason Chen. Services: Interment will be private. Family Visitation on Saturday, October 12, 10:00-11:00 a.m. at the Falk Funeral Homes & Crematory, 163 Main Street in Pennsburg, with Funeral Service at 11:00 a.m.. Contributions: Memorial contributions may be made to the R.W. Smith Scholarship Fund and sent to: Upper Perkiomen School District, 2229 East Buck Road, Pennsburg, PA 18073, Attention Sandy Kassel. Contributions may also be sent to the Open Link, 452 Penn Street, Pennsburg, PA 18073 OR the Upper Perkiomen Valley Library, 350 Main Street, Red Hill, PA 18076. To offer on-line condolences, please visit www.falkfuneralhomes.com.