Victor George Smith

Obituaries Victor George Smith November 11, 2026 Smith Trending Victor George Smith, 78, passed away peacefully on May 23, 2026, in Arizona. Born on December 16, 1947, in Marietta, Ohio, he was the son of George and Jessie Smith. Victor grew up on his family’s farm and sawmill in Barlow, Ohio, where hard work and family were central to daily life. A gifted student with a love of science and mathematics, he graduated from Warren High School in Vincent, Ohio, in 1965 and entered the United States Military Academy at West Point that same year. After graduating from West Point in 1969, Victor was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Infantry Branch of the U.S. Army. Following training at Fort Benning, Airborne School, and Army Ranger School, he served in Germany and Vietnam. For his service in Vietnam with the 3rd Brigade of the 1st Cavalry Division, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Army Commendation Medal. He later served with the 4th Brigade at Fort Ord, California. After leaving active duty as a Captain in 1974, Victor continued his military career with the Ohio Army National Guard, retiring as a Major in 1989 and earning two additional Army Commendation Medals. In 1969, Victor married Joan Fusaro of New York, and together they raised four children. In 2022, he married Onita Clark, and they made their home in Arizona. A licensed Professional Engineer, Victor worked on projects throughout the United States and internationally, including in Kazakhstan and Malaysia. He also taught engineering courses at Washington State Community College. Victor was deeply committed to serving his community. He held leadership and volunteer roles with the Boy Scouts of America, the Barlow Library Board, the Instrumentation, Systems, and Automation Society, and the American Legion. He believed strongly in giving back to communities he served. He also had a lifelong love of music, which started in grade school with playing the trumpet, and included the band in high school, college, and adulthood with various bands, including playing TAPS for veteran burials. Victor is survived by his children, Diane Gottfried (James), Pamela Holschuh (Bill), Matthew Smith, and Michael Smith (Mary); his grandchildren, Jack, Maggie, and Samuel Gottfried, Riley and Anna Holschuh, Lorna Smith and Mia Shelton; and his sister, Sharyn Blanchard. Victor will be remembered for his intellect, dedication to service, love of learning, and commitment to helping others. A memorial mass will be held at St. Ambrose in Little Hocking, Ohio, on Saturday, November 21 at 10 am, and a lunch will follow. Memorial contributions are encouraged for the American Legion and Mid-Ohio Valley Veterans Outreach, https://movvo.org/.