Anan Clyde Smith

Anan (AC, as he liked to be called) Smith, 80, passed away on February 16, 2019 in Alamogordo, New Mexico. He was born on March 27, 1938 in Broad Top City, Pennsylvania.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11. NLT

AC believed God blessed him with special people in his life right when he needed them. Two of those were his maternal grandparents Edward C. and Wilda Mae Shanefelter, who raised him on their farm near Broad Top City where he was provided a secure and happy home. With them he had a great life and was involved in the farm, coal mines and the sportsmen club. The farm had draft horses. AC’s favorite was named Annie; and, on Annie’s wide back he would lie down while riding into town to pick up the mail. AC and Annie would play hide and seek in the woods around the farm as they gathered wood for the farm house. His uncle George Shanefelter was another such special person who took AC on many outdoor activities including coon hunting and who gave AC what became his favorite coon dog Slim. Uncle George also gave AC a Lionel train when AC was three years old, which he kept all his life. Model trains became an active interest the last year of his life and members of his extended Lindsey family helped him to accumulate the train pieces and set up the train table to replicate the Broad Top City coal train layout.

He was an accomplished football and baseball player in school. AC was fortunate to meet Whitey Ford and Yogi Berra of the Yankee - his idols - who were visiting his grandfather to purchase land. AC was in the Civil Air Patrol and also served as a volunteer fire fighter when officials arrived at high school to pull boys out for fire duty. The Deweese Brown family in Broad Top City was another of God’s blessing on AC. The family had boys around the age of AC and always welcomed and included him in their family. AC chose the Green Bay Packers as his football team at a young age and was a devoted fan throughout his life.

After high school AC worked in a glass factory and a box factory while attending the Metropolitan School of Art in New York City. This education assisted him to further develop his artistic talent into what became a lifelong fulfilling avocation in hand carving wood through which he created his decorative and realistic wild fowl and fresh water fish pieces which were sold in galleries in Houston, Vermont, Maine and Massachusetts.

His daytime vocational career location became Washington DC at the FBI under J. Edgar Hoover. During those several years and forever afterward he was immensely proud to have served in the FBI. Furthering his education through computer schools, AC was hired by the USDA as a computer operator; and, was loaned to the Office of Management and Budget and served as a computer programmer in an annex of the White House. During these years he played baseball on agency teams, often playing on the fields around the Washington Monument. Road rallies were also a favorite activity with his Washington friends. His computer career progressed when he was recruited by the Defense Atomic Support Agency, which later became the Defense Nuclear Agency (DNA). AC was later assigned to DNA Field Command Kirtland Air Force Base, Albuquerque, New Mexico where at one point, during a visit for a project meeting, his knowledge, intelligence, dedication, work ethic and talents were observed by the visiting member of the Joint Chiefs who stated “I want that young man to have a position of authority”. AC believed that God blessed him with that special person at the right time in his life; and, his career progressed to eventually manage over 90 information technology employees from all branches of the military services and civilians. Under DOD, AC was provided many management courses in which he excelled; and, he retired at the GM14 level on April 2, 1993 with 35 years and 10 months of loyal, dedicated, confidential service to the Government of the United States of America for which he received many certificates and awards.

Throughout his life in New Mexico, AC enjoyed golf, skeet and trap, hunting, fishing and backpacking in New Mexico, Texas, Arizona and Colorado, often with his close friend Tom Monahan. AC was certified in June of 1977 as a New Mexico Hunter Safety Instructor. He enjoyed and felt blessed to have 10 wonderful canine friends during his life, some of which were working and hunting dogs of various breeds and some were “puff” dogs of various breeds. AC also enjoyed having owned 13 vehicles and 6 RVs. Wherever he and Lauretta went AC was often saying “I had a dog like that” or “I had a car like that” so, she made a list of his dogs and vehicles.

AC was an accomplished cook of Italian food and wild game. Many Christmases AC prepared Italian dishes or goose or duck.

AC is survived by two children from his first marriage Tamara and Jeff for whom he was a devoted, loving and generous father teaching them the right path in life.

Also surviving AC, who are thankful for him being in their lives and who will be missing him forever, include his loving and devoted wife of 26 years Lauretta Smith whom he loved very, very much; and, her extended Lindsey family of brothers Glen, Don, Kevin, Keith; sisters Lois, Libby, Kristy, Lynn, Marilyn, Beth; nieces Shirlene, Crystal, Nicole, Stephanie, Jennifer, Kaci, Suzanne, Amber, Shawne, Sherry and nephews Ben, Larkin, Todd, Randy, Jonathan, Daniel, Dylan and cousin Mark Smith, who each assisted in any way they could during the illness from which AC passed - from thoughts and prayers, to ER trips and hospital day and overnight stays, to texts and calls, to home day and overnight care, to bringing food, to wheel chair rides and trips to Lowes Home Improvement, to back yard projects and model train projects.

Canine friends missing AC are his loyal and devoted Springer Spaniel Dottie and Maltipoo “Chuck”. They knew he was very ill and each helped by being a comfort to him.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents Edward C. and Wilda Mae Shanefelter, his five older sisters and his very good friend Tom Monahan.

AC’s requests to be cremated with no services will be honored.

The Smith and Lindsey family thank Dr. Boulware, Dr. Grummert, NP-C Richard Brown, Dr. Bernat and Dr. Pollard for their exceptional care of AC. Additionally, the families thank Alamogordo Hospice staff members: Erva, Sharon, Xochitl, Mary Ann, Robert, Bruce and Tom; and, private caregivers Martha and Isabelle. Additionally, we thank the doctors of Internal Medicine, Oncology, Neuro Surgery and Chaplain Juan at UMC/Texas Tech Health Science Center, El Paso.

The Smith and Lindsey family entrusted their loved one to the care of PCS Direct Cremation Service. Cremation will take place at PCS.

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