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.
