Gay W. Smith, 95, died peacefully at 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 25, 2020, at his Columbia City home in the company of family.

He was born February 6, 1925, in South Whitley, a son of the late Garland Albert and Minerva L. (Colvin) Smith. He spent his formative years in Richland Township, where he attended Larwill High School. In 1946 he moved to Thorncreek Township. In 1963, he moved to Goose Lake.

In addition to a farmhand, he worked at Snyder's Garage, Pierceton as a mechanic, then the former LML, Columbia City; JI Case, Churubusco, and then Dana Corporation, Fort Wayne, where he retired in 1990 with 28 ½ years of service. In his retirement, he continued to assist his nephews with their farming operation.

On December 18, 1971, he married Rosalie J. Wolfe McKenzie at the Kingdom Hall in Columbia City.

They made their home at Goose Lake until 2016, when they moved to Columbia City.

He enjoyed fishing at every opportunity and traveling with his wife and family. They visited the Philippines and had traveled most of the contiguous United States and Canada.  He volunteered his time constructing Kingdom Halls.

He loved Jehovah and reading the Bible. He treated his wife and family with the same love and respect. He was a regular and active member of the Jehovah's Witness throughout his life.

He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Rosalie; children, Sandra Geiger Murphy of Warsaw, Faye C. (Rodney) Shull of Larwill, Steve McKenzie of Fort Wayne, David W. (Terry) Smith of Dublin, OH, Lisa A. (Robert) Spyker, Defiance, OH and Gayle M. (Robert) Smith-Wells, Jefferson City, TN; grandchildren; Shannon Geiger, Jeremy (Kristie) Geiger, Chris (Selena) Geiger, Troy (Jennifer) Geiger, Tammy Shull, Brian (Holly) Shull, Abigail (Patrick) Yeater, Keturah (Morgan) Kuckuck and Caleb Spyker; 20 great-grandchildren; brother, Garland Lee Smith of New York.

He was preceded in death by a brother, Conrad Smith, and a sister, Donna Rae Heimlich.

A Zoom memorial service will be held online by the Edgewood Kingdom Hall at 3 p.m. Saturday, December 5 ^th . Arrangements are by Smith & Sons Funeral Home, Columbia City.

Memorials in Gay's honor are to donate.jw.org