John Dexter Smith

John Dexter Smith, 83, was born on August 24, 1925 in Portland, Oregon to Naval Captain Basil Burton Smith and Zella Pearl Malone Smith. The family moved to the Laurelhurst District in Seattle, Washington in 1934. In 1942, the family moved to Kennewick, Washington, where John attended Kennewick High School. After graduation, he attended the University of Washington while serving in the Navy ROTC. He then attended Ohio State. Upon returning to the Tri-Cities, John married Betty Jean Watkins in l948, with whom he had three children, Kathleen, Douglas and Karen. In 1975, John's first grandchild, Alexis, was born to his daughter, Karen.

The nuclear industry was John's chosen career path, where he worked as a mechanical engineer General Electric Atomics International and Battelle NW and licensing examiner for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission until his retirement in 1987. While working for Battlelle Northwest, John designed several patented devices, including a device to help clean up aquatic oil spills.

John's interests ranged widely throughout his life, including scuba diving, sky diving, and flying. He was the proud owner of a Cessna 150, volunteering for air search and rescue and donating his time and use of his airplane to the Experimental Aircraft Association Young Eagles to introduce young people to aviation. He helped found an Experimental Aircraft Association chapter in the Tri-Cities, serving for a while as president. As one of his many projects, he designed and built an amphibious bi-plane.

He was a member of the American Nuclear Society now retired, the Airplane Owners and Pilots Association, and the Experimental Aircraft Association.

Finally, John donated his body to the U.S. Transuranium Registry to contribute to the study of the effects of high-dosage, long-term radiation exposure. He was a person of great loyalty, honesty and integrity and a loving husband and father. He will be deeply missed.

Survivors include wife Bettye W. Smith; son, Douglas D. Smith; daughters, Karen L. Ashley and Kathleen A. Smith; granddaughter, Alexis A. Haase; sister, Shirley Snyder; sister-in-law, Mary Wood; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Preceding him in death are parents, Basil B. Smith and Zella Malone Smith; brother, James Smith; and sister, Jean Hughes.

Memorial services will be held at 2:00 PM Saturday, October 18, 2008 at Einan's Funeral Home, Richland.

Donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, Inland Northwest Chapter, 601 W. Maxwell Ste 4, Spokane, WA 99201.