From Tom's wife, Holly Kephart Smith, MHS '62

Deceased Classmate: Tom Smith
Date Of Birth: 05-16-1942
Date Deceased: 05-28-2021
Age at Death: 79
Cause of Death: Heart attack
Classmate City: Fort Myers
Classmate State: FL
Classmate Country: USA
Was a Veteran: Yes Navy
Survived By: Wife Holly Smith and sons Chris and Josh Smith, their wives Denise and Jessica, and four amazing grandchildren

Tom served his country in the US Navy and upon his return he attended Virginia Tech, then VPI, graduating in 1969 with a BS in Mechanical Engineering. Later he earned a master’s degree in Business Administration from Loyola University. He became a sales engineer in the power and process industries. Tom married Holly Kephart Smith, MHS ‘62, in 1966 and was a father to twin sons, Chris and Josh Smith who blessed their families with wonderful wives and darling grandchildren. He loved his family dearly.

"Tom's academic career didn’t begin until after MHS and the Navy, but he did attend a reunion about ten years ago which scratched an itch for him.  Not well known or among the popular group, he actually wrote on his name tag at one party that he was unknown and had fun with it.  His high school social  years were spent with the Roadmasters and drinking beer, but he morphed into a very smart guy who got into and through the engineering program at VA Tech without much essential math, so he taught himself geometry, for example.  He was friends with Dan Evans who died before that time.  As a longtime teacher, it did my heart good to be with a person who bettered himself on his own.  We all know the education in Montclair schools was excellent and enough filtered through for him to make life interesting.  And we both absolutely loved Montclair.  Thank you."