John R. E. Smith

John Roy Edward Smith, 85, passed away March 9, 2012 in Taos, New Mexico. John was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico on February 1, 1927 to John E. and Bonnie Smith. He attended Santa Fe public schools, graduating from Santa Fe High School in 1945. He graduated in absentia, having joined the U.S. Marine Corp in January, shortly before his 18th birthday. He served in the Pacific during the last months of World War II, then in the occupation of Japan until he was honorably discharged in 1947. John received his Bachelor of Science Degree from New Mexico Tech in 1954, and then began a career in the oil field service industry. He was employed by Dresser Atlas Corporation in West Texas and transferred to the company's headquarters in Houston in 1961 where he designed and developed their acoustical oil well logging instruments. Five U.S. Patents were issued under his name. Several years before his retirement in 1987, he became Manager of Research and Engineering. New Mexico was always on his mind, so after he retired, he and his wife, Shirley, returned to their beloved mountains. John was a true gentleman and was always willing to lend a helping hand where needed. He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Virginia Simpson Guthrie and Margaret Jane Livingston. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Shirley Rader Smith; daughters and sons-in-law Deonna and Alfred Vaughan of Richmond, Texas, Linda and Sidney Banton of Burnet, Texas, Bonnie and Carl Riley Smith of Flagstaff, Arizona, Carolyn and Fritz Besch of Tucson, Arizona; eight grandchildren including two grandsons in Afghanistan, and eight great grandchildren; sister Diana Simmons of Santa Fe and brother Milton Smith of Aztec; numerous nieces and nephews. Serving as pallbearers are: grandsons Ezekiel Banton and John Starkey, Francisco Cortez, Danny Kuykendall, Lanny Kuykendall, and Edwin Gurule. Funeral service was held on March 14, 2012 at St. James Episcopal Church. Interment followed at the Santa Fe National Cemetery, with mililary honors.