WESTFIELD, Maine – Ervin T. Smith, passed away peacefully September 28, 2018, at a Mars Hill nursing home after a long battle with kidney cancer. He was born in Mars Hill, on March 3, 1937, the son of George Ervin Smith and Loena Pauline (Kennedy) Smith.
He attended school in Mars Hill, graduating from Central Aroostook High School in 1956, and the New Brunswick Bible Institute with a degree in Biblical Studies. He then served his country in the United States Army for two years.
On September 4, 1967, he married the love of his life, Benedine Ouellette and they raised four children in Westfield. At the University of Maine at Presque Isle campus, where he worked for more than 41 years as shipping and receiving clerk, he was known best as “Smitty”. He enjoyed attending every graduation after helping to set up and even attended a few after his retirement in 2010.
Ervin is survived by three daughters, Mechele Welch and her husband, Michael, of Manchester, NH; Catherine Anderson and her husband, Mark, of Presque Isle; Patricia Dean and her husband, Jason, of Caribou; one son, Peter Smith and his girlfriend, Susan Yunker, of Flagstaff, AZ; and one granddaughter, Abigail Welch, who stole his heart from the moment she arrived. He is also survived by his sister, Wanda Ruxton and her husband, Matthew, of Orange Park, FL; his sisters-in-law, Marilyn Smith of Lisbon Falls, ME, and Savanna Ouellette and her spouse, Katie Tolles of Shutesbury, MA; a brother-in-law, Bernard Ouellette and his wife, Marian, of Phoenix, AZ; nieces, Beverly Merrick (Johnny) and Christina Guzman of Killeen, TX; and nephew, Jeffrey S. Smith (Sandy) of Lisbon, ME. He also leaves behind his cat, Jack.
Ervin was predeceased by his wife of nearly 51 years, Benedine Smith; his parents, George and Loena; brothers, Adrian E. Smith of Lisbon Falls, ME, and Wayne B. Smith of Killeen, TX; his sister-in-law, Helga L. Smith; his nephew, Timothy G. Smith; and a great-niece, Lydia Farina.
Ervin will be laid to rest at Fairmount Cemetery in Presque Isle, following a graveside service on Saturday, October 6, 2018, at 11 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, please donate in his memory to the University of Maine at Presque Isle’s Wieden Auditorium renovation project, 181 Main Street, Presque Isle, ME 04769, or the Central Aroostook Humane Society, 26 Cross Street, Presque Isle, ME 04769, in memory of all of his faithful companions. Online condolences may be expressed at www.duncan-graves.com.
