Obituary: Smith, Gail Merlin
He was 88 years old and a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.
He was married for 64 years to the love of his life, Rose Smith.
Gail and Rose moved from Walla Walla to the Spokane Valley in the mid 1950’s and have resided there ever since.
He was part owner in a successful local business, ABC Office Equipment for many years until his retirement in 1982.
He loved his work and earned a reputation of being an honest business man.
Gail worked hard to help build that company and provide for his family as family was the most important thing in his life.
He was a genuinely good man; responsible, soft spoken, generous, kind and always there for anyone who needed his help.
He was one of those people who could always fix things, somehow always figuring it out.
He was handsome, young at heart, and had a wonderful grin that will always be remembered.
He loved fishing and being around his family.
In addition to his wife, Rose, dad was survived by his five children: son, David Smith and wife Koreen (Spokane); daughters, Diane Bauman and husband, Jim (Virginia), Jeanette Nagy and husband, Randy (Spokane), Janice Lyonnais and husband, Jayme (Spokane); and Mary Terese Platt (Spokane).
He had 14 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.
He was also survived by two sisters; Jean Smith (Seattle) and Gladys Stiles (Pomeroy) as well as many nieces and nephews along with their families, all who loved him dearly.
Services are as follows: Visitation at Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home on Friday, April 26th, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM with burial following at 2:00 PM at Pines Cemetery.
A Rosary is scheduled that evening at 6:00PM at St. John Vianney’s Church.
A Memorial Mass will be said at 1:00 PM on Saturday, April 27, at St. John Vianney’s as well, with reception to follow.