William E. Smith, 86, passed away after a short illness on Tuesday, May 28th, 2024 at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Mishawaka. He was born at home in East Chicago, IN on December 26th, 1937 to Henry and Elsie Marie (Clifton) Smith.
Bill married Janet Adelsperger, his lifelong sweetheart and amazingly patient wife, on January 10th, 1959 at St. Catherine’s Catholic Church in Hammond. The two spent their 60 years together traveling throughout the US and to many Green Bay Packers games, watching football, and spending plenty of time with their children and grandchildren. Jan preceded him in death on May 16th, 2019, and he would always say afterwards how he never understood how much she did for him until then.
Bill led a successful career as an accountant and was still working for his firm, W. E. Smith and Company, until the day he died. A colorful man with countless clients, oftentimes he would be found talking taxes to those who would bring him various Green Bay Packers memorabilia, which was all housed in his personal office. He was so skilled with calculations that he could count down the exact days, hours, and minutes until it was Christmas – and needless to say, his children and grandchildren were not fans of that.
When Bill wasn’t working, he loved spending time with his family. Whether it was going to breakfast with his children, taking his grandchildren out to King’s Buffet, or playing with his great-granddaughter, there was never a dull moment so long as he was around. An avid fan and stockholder of the Green Bay Packers, he would begrudgingly accept the company of his Colts loving daughter and even purchase her items for her own collection. He also never understood why his truck-loving son had to change his perfectly stock vehicles into noise making machines. Despite all this, he loved his children more than anything.
Bill is survived by his daughter, Dina (Walter) Pintal; son, Timothy (Kate) Smith; estranged son, Bradley Smith; grandchildren, Samuel (Rachel) Smith, Megan Pintal, and Matthew Pintal; and great-granddaughter, Josie Smith.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Jan; parents, Henry and Elsie Marie; siblings, Al Smith, Anna Marie (Bud) Pugh, and Darlene Varshall; step-granddaughter, Melissa Pintal Mai; and nephew, Dean Varshall.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, June 4th from 11-2pm at the Plymouth Wesleyan Church, 11203 Michigan St, Plymouth, IN, 46563. A celebration of life will immediately follow at 2pm.
Burial will take place at Oak Hill Cemetery, Plymouth.
In memory of Bill, memorial contributions can be made to the Marshall County Humane Society, PO Box 22, Plymouth, IN, 46563.
Condolences can be left for the family at www.johnson-danielson.com
