- Date Of Birth: November 28, 1948
- Date Of Death: October 29, 2012
- State: Indiana
Samuel Owen Smith, 63, of Bloomington, passed away Monday, October 29, 2012, from post-operative complications after a successful surgery at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.
Sam was born in Portland, Oregon on November 28, 1948 to the late Robert and Oma (Calhoun) Smith. Growing up on the Oregon coast and in the Portland area, Sam attended Forest Grove High School, where he met his first wife, Linda Baldwin. After the births of their two children, Linda and Sam moved to Bloomington to raise their family. Linda passed away in 1980, and Sam and his children continued their lives in Bloomington. Sam worked for Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and Pepsi Cola, but spent the last 20 plus years working with Bob Shaw, during which the two became close friends, and Sam practically became a member of the Shaw Family.
With is children raised, Sam entered the next phase of his life by meeting Vonda Ratliff. Together for the last 20 years, Sam and Vonda married in 2004 and enjoyed a very loving and fulfilling life together. You could always find Sam and Vonda together on their back porch or hanging out by their pool, often with their two dogs at their feet or in their laps, the grill fired up, and a Cubs game or NASCAR race on TV. If Sam wasn’t at home with Vonda or working with Bob, you most certainly would find him on the golf course with his closest friends.
To say golf was Sam’s passion would be an understatement. He loved the game and played it every chance he could get. Sam had a great sense of humor, loved to have fun with family and friends, and greeted everyone with his trademark big smile and friendly wave.
Sam is survived by his wife, Vonda (Freeman) Smith of Bloomington; his brother, Steve, and sister-in-law Janice Smith of Portland, OR, his brother, Robert, and sister-in-law Sandy Smith of Hillsboro, OR; his son, Kelly, and daughter-in-law Chris Smith of Bloomington; his daughter, Karen, and son-in-law Dan Weesner of Sheridan, IN; step-son, Shane Ratliff, of Bloomington; his granddaughters, Ali and Mallory Smith of Bloomington; his grandsons, Quinn Smith of Bloomington, and Bret and Ty Weesner of Sheridan, IN; sister-in-law, Leslie (Baldwin) Bloom, of Bloomington; father and mother-in-law, Bill and Honey Baldwin, of Bloomington; and several nieces and nephews.
Sam was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Patricia Smith; his first wife, Linda (Baldwin) Smith; father-in-law, Dewey Freeman; brother-in-law, George Freeman; and sister-in-law, Sondra (Freeman) Streeval.
