Glenn McKinnis Smith

Friday, February 22, 2013

Glenn McKinnis Smith, age 92, resident of Uniontown, Kan., died Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013, at Mercy Hospital. He was born August 19, 1920, in Stonington, Colo., the son of Charles Harrison Smith and Rena Ruth McKinnis Smith. Glenn was a 1938 graduate of Uniontown High School. He served in the United State Army during World War II. Having his electrical engineering studies interrupted at Kansas State University, he was inducted into the Army at Fort Leavenworth, received radio training in Baltimore, and served as the Radio Team Chief of the 3127th Signal Service Company in the Philippines for the duration of the war.

Returning from the war, he married Ethel Berry on April 28, 1946, started a family, and completed his Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering at Kansas State University, Manhattan; returning to Uniontown to work and raise a family with Ethel. She preceded him in death on Dec. 2, 2007.

Glenn served the community in various ways, including serving as Mayor, Councilman, Fire Chief, City Engineer, a member of the District 70 School Board, Sunday School Superintendent of the United Methodist Church, and as a Free Mason. He was a 50-year member of the Excelsior Masonic Lodge and the Olive Chapter No. 13 Order Eastern Star. He was an avid Kansas State football and basketball fan.

Survivors include two sons, Charles Smith and wife Peggy, Middletown, N.J., and Richard Smith and wife Nola, Redfield, Kan.; and one daughter, Glenda Miller and husband Robert, Kan., Kansas. Also surviving is a sister, Betty White, Fort Scott; eight grandchildren; sixteen great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. In addition to his wife of 61 1/2 years, Glenn was preceded in death by a brother-in-law, Leonard White; and a nephew, Pat Berry.

Rev. Connie McKee will conduct funeral services at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 27th, in the Uniontown United Methodist Church. Burial will follow in Uniontown Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 10 a.m. until service time at the church. Memorials are suggested to the Uniontown United Methodist Church and may be sent to Cheney Witt Chapel, P.O. Box 347, Fort Scott, Kansas 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.