Lewis Neil Smith

Lewis Neil Smith, 93, of Marion, passed away on March 10, 2026, at Marion General Hospital surrounded by family and friends. Born on October 22, 1932, in Sandusky, Ohio, he was raised in Delaware, Ohio, the son of the late Glenn Lee Smith and Violet Dickerson-Smith. He graduated from Franklin B. Willis High School in Delaware in 1954, where he played basketball and football. He then served four years in the United States Air Force in the medical field.

Lewis spent more than 30 years working at Whirlpool Corporation in Marion. In 1992, he married his longtime friend, the late Nina Jewel Blain. Together they raised four children: Mildred Williams, Vicki McGary, Patricia (Dayle) Henderson, and Tim (Truby) Sams. He was blessed with three grandchildren, Zachary McGary, Tim (Molly) Sams, and Jennifer (Kyle) Stover; eleven great-grandchildren, Aunaycia Deas-McGary, Shelly Fuller, Zavier McGary, Lil Zachary McGary, Zaden McGary, Haleigh Stover, Samantha Stover, Matthew Stover, Jackson Sams, Riley Sams, and Lennix Sams; and two great-great-grandchildren, Harmony Deas-McGary and Zeilani McGary.

The second of ten siblings, Lewis is survived by his sister Frances Smith-Wright, along with many nieces, nephews, and cousins. He cherished time with special friends Layne, Tiny Braddy, and his barber, Mr. Mathis. Lewis loved cooking potato salad and spaghetti for his family, listening to Mama Burks sing with the Mississippi Mass Choir and to blues music, and watching Serena and Venus Williams play tennis, the Cleveland Browns, Ohio State football, boxing, Tiger Woods golfing, and bowling.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Nina, two sons Robert and Ricky, his son-in-law Bill Williams, and siblings Evelyn Banks, Floyd Smith, Dorothy Robinson, Charles Smith, James Smith, Eugene Smith, Buela Smith, and Melba Simpson.