Obituary of Eugene B Smith

Eugene B. Smith was born on April 6, 1933 to Bertram A. Smith and Mary Amthor Smith and was instrumental in helping his father run the family farm. The Smith’s were generations of primarily farmers and saw mill operators who lived, for years, in the area that makes up the Roundout Reservoir. Once construction began for the dam, most of the Smiths moved to the hillsides on either side of the now Roundout Reservoir. Bertram Smith however decided to purchase property outside of Woodbourne to farm with his family. Even with his son’s help, Eugene, small scale farming was not profitable and his father found himself working, in addition, at the newly constructed Woodbourne Correctional Facility. Meanwhile Eugene grew up, graduating from Fallsburg, marrying his girlfriend from high school, Joan E. LaPolt. Eugene then enlisted in the US Air Force during the Korean Conflict but remained in the states as a radar operator, primarily in Alaska.

After his military service, Eugene came home and purchased a piece of the family farm to build a house and start a family with his wife Joan. Eugene was a do it yourselfer who helped in the construction of the family home and had no fear of tackling projects new to him. He followed in his father’s footsteps helping on the family farm, and becoming a corrections officer at Woodbourne Correctional Facility. Meanwhile, at home, his son was born, Dean, then followed by a daughter, Robin. Robin went on to marry and have two children Jessica Franke and Thomas Franke, Eugene’s grandchildren. Thomas went on to marry a woman, also named Jessica, providing Eugene with two great grandchildren, both girls Amelia and Noelle.

Eugene, after over 30 years in Corrections, retired and worked on projects around the house and on the farm property which was no longer an active farm. Then in January of 2006 after over 50 years of marriage his wife passed away. However, with the love and support of his family, he continued on. Even though Eugene’s health was beginning to fail he continued working outdoors when he could. Towards the end of his life, much of this consisted of constantly mowing his property, part of the farm property, his son’s nearby property and even his neighbor’s property. It could be said that the grass in the barnyard area was probably shorter than when the cows use to graze there. Winter time, when there was snow, he made sure the snow was pushed back so far in the barn yard that a plane probably could have easily landed.

Finally, around his 90^th birthday, health issues took their toll putting in and out of the hospital and in Middletown Park Rehabilitation Center. Then on May 20^th, at approximately 9:00 PM Eugene quietly passed away.

Services will be held privately at the convenience of the family.

Arrangements under the care of Colonial Memorial Funeral Home, for further information call 845-434-7363 or visit www.colonialfamilyfuneralhomes.com

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