Smith, Dean C.

Description

Dean Culver Smith

Dean Culver Smith was born on September 25, 1915, in New York City, New York, to Ida Louise Stulen, age 28, and Dean Culver Smith. He was a graduate of Port Chester High School and Williams College, class of 1937. He had two brothers Richard and Stephen Smith and locally his family lived at 33 Priscilla Lane, Port Chester and later Blind Brook Lodge, Rye. In 1940, Dean was employed by the Guaranty Trust Company in NYC.

He entered service early in 1941 with the Seventh Regiment, New York National Guard. When war broke out Dean served as an officer in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. Dean was awarded his silver wings at San Marcos Army Air Field, San Marcos, Texas and served as a navigator.

The navigation school was eighteen weeks long, with each student instructed in four methods of navigation: radio, pilotage, dead reckoning and celestial. During the course of World War II, the navigation school trained about 10,000 students.

WINS COMMISSION
Dean Culver Smith, of Port Chester. has received his commission second lieutenant in the Army Air Corps and won him silver wings as a navigator, having completed his training at the San Marcos Army Air Field, San Marcos, Texas. La. Smith, son of Mrs.
Dean C. Smith. Blind Brook Lodge, Rye, and the late Mr. Smith, entered service early in 1941 with the Seventh Regiment, New York National Guard. He is a graduate of Port Chester High School and Williams College.

It was during his time in Texas that Dean met and married Alma Lee Skelton. After his honorable discharge they would make Houston their home and raise two sons. He retired after years of service from Tenn. Gas Pipeline.

Dean Culver Smith died on September 13, 1990, in Houston, Texas, at the age of 74. At the time of his death, he was survived by his wife, Alma Lee Smith of Houston; sons, Richard B. Smith and wife Sharyn of Lake Jackson, Texas, Dean C. Smith Jr. and wife Patti of Bellaire, Texas; grandchildren, Tracy Smith, Terri Smith, Richie Smith, Sara Smith, Stephen Smith all of Lake Jackson, Texas; Dean Smith, Jeffrey Smith, Kimberly Smith all of Bellaire, Texas.