Lloyd Smith: a legend in his own time

By Helen Kaverman, The Delphos Herald
Published:  Monday, August 18, 2008 (4 months, 3 weeks ago)
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Lloyd and Elizabeth Smith, seated, enjoy Lloyd’s birthday party at Vancest Assisted Living with two of their three children, Donald and Barbara.Students of the Delphos School have enjoyed an excellent Vo-Ag and FFA program since 1950. That’s the year Lloyd Smith came to town. Numerous young people have benefited and grown through this program since its beginning.
Lloyd was born in 1918 and his wife, Elizabeth, was born in 1919. Lloyd grew up on a farm near Eaton in Preble County. He attended the township school and graduated with a bachelor of science for Ohio State University in 1940. He later received his master’s degree at OSU also.
He met Elizabeth while teaching at her hometown of Ohio City. They were married July 30, 1941, and recently celebrated 67 years of marriage.
Then along came World War II. This 90-year-old veteran enlisted in the Navy in 1944 in order to determine which branch of the service he serve in as opposed to being drafted. Having served in the Army’s ROTC while in college, he knew he could become an officer. After passing the physical and all the tests, he received an appointment as an ensign. That was a rather common practice during World War II.
He was sent to Harvard where the Navy had a communication school; then to San Diego and on to Pearl Harbor. He was assigned to a patrol craft also known as a sub chaser. Each PC had approximately 65 sailors on board. Lloyd served aboard PCs in the south and central Pacific. During this time, he experience two typhoons. The first was in September 1945. Then “Louie” hit just a month later. PC1126 got shook up pretty badly when the winds reached 92 mph with 35-foot waves. They were in Buckeye Bay, where they tied anchor to a buoy. The wind blew the buoy loose and knocked a three-foot hole in the hull and they flooded. The wind blew them around and up against a gunner ship, which was about the same size, so they jumped from one ship to the other.
“Louie” sank 12 ships and grounded 222. It severely damaged the housing and other structures in Okinawa. Lloyd said it was a good thing Japan surrendered when they did because an invasion on Japan would have been greatly impaired by the typhoon.
Smith was there assigned to work on the base in communications until his active duty ended in 1946. he made a career of the Navy by spending many years in the active reserves. When he finished his duty in the reserves, he held the rank of lieutenant commander.
Lloyd also taught vocation agriculture for two years and in Bryan and for four years in Spencerville before coming to Delphos, where he served as the first agricultural and FFA instructor for 23 years. He not only taught agriculture but good, honest work habits necessary in any business or industry.
Lloyd led the FFA members in many fundraiser to pay for trips to the Chicago International Livestock Show, along with visits to the Museum of Science and Industry, the Chicago Stockyards and Meat Packing Plant.
George Knebel was one of his students from 1950 to 1954, so he knows first-hand what a great teacher Lloyd was. George estimated Lloyd had touched the lives of more than 1,000 students.
He was president of the Ohio Vo-Ag Teachers Association in 1957 and 1958 and in 1969, was named Honorary State Farmer of the FFA. In 1973, he received one of five outstanding teacher awards.
When Lloyd retired from teaching, he went to work as a loan officer of the People’s National Bank. An interesting tidbit is that Elizabeth worked 19 years for the Commercial Bank. Both served their community well.
The couple now resides at Vancrest Assisted Living Apartments. They are members of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, where Lloyd served as one of the Sunday morning money counters. He was also a member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, which helps the needy of our community. He is also a member of the Delphos K of C and its Degree Team.
When the Delphos Canal Commission purchased the old Commercial Bank Building, He spent many hours on his hands and knees cleaning and polishing the old floors and woodwork.
The Smiths have three children, Donald of Van Wert, Barbara, who lives near Lima, and Susan of California. They also have two grandchildren and four stepgrandchildren.
Lloyd celebrated his 90th birthday on Aug. 14. On Aug. 10, many of his former students, friends and family threw him a party at Vancrest, which was organized by George and Pat Knebel.

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