William E. Smith

William "Bill" Edward Smith, 78, of Perrysburg, OH, passed away peacefully on June 14, 2024, at Hospice of Northwest Ohio. He was born on July 23, 1945, in Toledo, Ohio, the son of William and Mary Smith. Bill's generous heart and witty sense of humor will be carried on by his loving wife, Janet, of 56 years; sons, Patrick (Jenny) and Steven (Stephanie); his adoring grandchildren, Milo and Vivian who loved their Papa with all of their hearts; his sister, Susan (David) Dunmead; niece, Kristin (Chris) Kimm; nephew, Keith (Mary) Dunmead; and great-nephews, Peyton and Greyson.

Most notable about Bill was his warm, welcoming smile and service to others. His family and friends were everything to him and he always put the needs of others before his own.

Bill grew up in Toledo where he attended St. Francis de Sales High School then earned a bachelor's degree in business from the University of Toledo before enlisting in the U.S. Army. In 1968, he graduated from Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning in GA. During his military service, Bill was a jump instructor in the Airborne Department before deploying to Vietnam in 1969 as a member of the 25th Infantry Division and 82nd Airborne. He returned to Fort Benning in 1970 and was promoted to Captain while part of the Leadership Department of the Infantry School.

Bill joined Prestolite Corporation in 1972 and began a 42-year career in the automotive battery business, retiring from East Penn Manufacturing in 2014. A 50-year resident of Perrysburg, he was active in the early years of the recreation and travel soccer associations and Perrysburg High School Boosters while enjoying canoeing on the Maumee River and cycling in the surrounding area. Bill had a lifelong passion for cars, whether working on them, attending anything auto — be it shows or NASCAR/ARCA races — or the simple pleasure of driving someplace, often to the minor annoyance of his family for never taking the same way home that he took to get there.

A Celebration of Life will be held for Bill at Zoar Lutheran Church in Perrysburg, 314 E. Indiana St., where he was a faithful member. Visitation will be on Thursday, June 27, 2024 at 10:30 am, with service at 12:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made to Hospice of Northwest Ohio, Zoar Lutheran Church, or a charity of your choice.