As small children, Smitty, his brother and his sister lived with relatives when his father, Roy, left Nebraska after the death of their mother, Elnora Mae Endicott, in 1914. Times were hard and as a teen Smitty joined the merchant marine and then the USN. He served aboard the Saratoga and Yorktown, and during the battle of Midway, he and shipmates were strafed by enemy planes while in the water. He met Lila Davis Williams, a young widow in Jacksonville, FL, and they married in 1945. After 20 years service he retired from the navy having received the World War II Victory Medal, American Area Campaign Medal, American Defense Medal and the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal. He and Lila moved to Atlanta,GA, where they lived briefly before moving to the Memphis area in the late 1950's to help care for Lila's aging parents. After her parents' deaths and her retirement, the couple moved to Ormand Beach, FL where Smitty's sister lived. These were happy times and they entertained friends and family with trips to the beach and boardwalk. Smitty was active in planning reunions for naval veterans, maintaining an attendance board. Both he and Lila were members of the local Fleet Reserve chapters in Daytona and Memphis and were elected officers. However, Smitty decided in the late 1980's that they should move back to Memphis near Lila's brother. Both his sister and brother had died and he was concerned about Lila being left alone should his health fail. In 1990 Lila was diagnosed with cancer and passed away in January, 1991. Smitty chose to live at the Naval Home in Biloxi, MS, but was not happy there. He came back to Memphis for a time and also returned to Daytona Beach, FL, but he could not be satisfied anywhere without Lila. In failing health, he went back to the Naval Home where he received medical support. He died at the area hospital in Gulf Port, MS. Smitty's funeral was conducted by USN chaplain with full military honors. He is buried next to Lila in her family's plot.