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Obituary for JOHN S. SMITH, JR.
John Samuel Smith, Jr., was the son of the late John and Ida Viola Smith, of Calvert County, Owings, Maryland. He was born on March 6, 1927. He left his earthly body on February 8, 2016 at the age 88 years old, just about a month from his 89th birthday.
John attended public schools in Calvert County. He, along with the entire Smith family, were members of Mount Hope Methodist Church in Sunderland, Maryland. After school he worked in the profession of construction until he became ill with an unusual illness that left him speechless. From the onset of the illness, he remained at the home of his parents on Skinner Turn Road in Owings, Maryland. Upon the deaths of his parents, he then lived the majority of the rest of his life at The Gladys Spellman Nursing Home in Cheverly, Maryland and Future Care Nursing in Clinton, Maryland.
Both care facilities were very attentive to John and loved him immensely. The staff even encouraged John to sing and he did try. He was always roving around each facility and he participated in activities as he could. He understood conversations and directions-yet he was unable to talk. Occasionally, he would visit the home of his younger brother, Zed Roger Smith. Those visits brought him so much joy, even simple things like sitting outside enjoying nature and the barbecue food prepared. He enjoyed visits by family members and would listen to their stories and updates. He also watched television with other residents.
All along, John had done well health-wise. Recently though, in the last couple of months, his body began to weaken, he slowed down, and started to show signs of moving toward his heavenly rest. In the past two months he contracted pneumonia, and he lost his ability to thrive. He was placed on hospice care in the nursing home on Thursday, February 4, 2016. Several family members had the opportunity to visit him before he left his earthly body on Monday, February 8, 2016.
His younger brother, Zed, and baby sister, Shirley, are his two remaining siblings. In addition to his parents, he is predeceased by brothers Allen and Leonard, and sisters Roberta, Mary, Evelyn, Genieve and Alice. Also, his two half-brothers, Basil Holland and James Holland, preceded him in death. Family members mourning his passing include, his two siblings Zed and Shirley Smith, sisters-in-law Eva Smith and Jannie Smith along with many nieces, nephews and other relatives.