Lloyd Thomas Smith

Lloyd Thomas Smith

Lloyd Thomas Smith, 86, Newton entrepreneur and philanthropist, passed away Dec. 29, 2009.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Jacqueline McCalla Bowen Smith. He is survived by his second wife, Sarah Taleen Brasted Smith, of Wichita; two sisters, Marjorie Meador of Lenexa and Eunice Frawley of West Bridgewater, Mass.; three children, William Bowen Smith of Dallas, Deborah Smith Douglas of Santa Fe, N.M., and Randall Thomas Smith of Walnut Creek, Calif.; and five grandchildren.

Lloyd was raised on a farm near Great Bend and enlisted in the Army Air Corps after high school. As a B-24 bomber pilot during World War II, he flew more than 30 missions over Europe. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and other honors for service in both the European and Pacific theaters.

After the war ended, Lloyd graduated from Kansas State University with a degree in mechanical engineering. He worked in various management and engineering capacities for Krause Plow Corp., Ford Motor Co. and Hesston Corp. before forming his own company, S/V Tool, in 1971.

His company manufactured and marketed hand tools for the mass consumer markets. Lloyd's experience with and enthusiasm for engineering led him to invent a number of ingenious tools, including one of the first unbreakable ice scrapers for windshields as well as a ratchet-handled screwdriver, the "Screwball," which later was purchased by Sears for its Craftsman line of tools.

With a passion for historic preservation, he purchased the Warkentin Mill (now known as Old Mill Plaza) on the eve of its scheduled demolition in 1973. His conversion of the building to commercial and professional purposes received national attention and earned the David E. Finley award for excellence in historic preservation.

Lloyd also provided the funding for the purchase of the Blue Sky sculpture in Newton.

He was very active in Newton's civic life, serving on the boards of directors of the Chamber of Commerce, First Bank of Newton and Axtell Christian Hospital. He also served on the President's Advisory Council of Bethel College, the Advisory Board of the Salvation Army, as district governor of the Rotary Club, and as an elder and trustee of First Presbyterian Church.

Friends may sign the register book from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday at Petersen Funeral Home in Newton.

A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at First Presbyterian Church, 900 Columbus Ave. in Newton.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to First Presbyterian Church, Newton, 67114; the Carriage Factory Gallery, 128 E. Sixth St., Newton, KS 67114; Ghost Ranch, HC77 Box 11, Abiquiu, N.M. 87510; or the Wichita Art Museum, 1400 W. Museum Blvd., Wichita, KS 67203.