LARNED — Colonel John David Smith, 72, USAF, Retired, passed away June 24, 2019, at his home, near Rose Hill, Kan. He was born May 28, 1947, to Mary Lou Rumsey Smith and the late Virgil Smith of Larned. John was a graduate of Larned High School and University of Kansas.

On Oct. 1, 1977, he married Jill Terrill of Red Bank, N.J. They had three sons Bryan of Bluffton, S.C., Mike of Lenexa, Kan. and David of Andover, Kan. Following their divorce, John married Kylynn Gray of Wichita.

After his retirement from the Air Force John worked for Flight Safety of Wichita as a Flight Instructor. He also donated his time counseling prison inmates and disadvantaged students in the Wichita area.

Survivors include his mother, Mary Lou Smith; a brother Vance (Susan) of Larned; three sons, Bryan, Mike and David; and three grandchildren, Alexandra, Maddox and Natalie. He was preceded in death by his father, Virgil Smith.

Cremation has taken place and a memorial service with Military Honors will be 10 a.m. Saturday at Beckwith Mortuary Chapel with Pastor Bill Stapleton presiding. Memorials may be given to the Santa Fe Trail Center in care of Beckwith Mortuary, P.O. Box 477, Larned, KS 67550.

Personal condolences may be left at www.beckwithmortuary.com.

Funeral arrangements provided by

Beckwith Mortuary 

P.O. Box 477 

Larned, KS 67550

Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, June 27, 2019