LEWISTON – David W. Smith, 71, of 39 Jordan Road, Mechanic Falls passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 20, at Central Maine Medical Center, with his wife and family at his side after a long battle with cancer and a rare muscle disease.

He was born in Auburn, Sept. 16, 1933, the son of William and Martha Harris Smith. He attended school in Auburn and worked several different jobs until he met and married the love of his life, Chris Kyllonen in 1959.

Together they started a painting business. His first contract every spring and fall was to open and close the Balsam Hotel in Dixfield Notch, N.H. He left that in 1968, when he got local contracts to paint the outside of CMMC Hospital and inside and out of the Tall Pines Apartment Complex.

After the jobs were over, he had a chance to go to work applying materials for the Texas Refinery Corporation. He worked for four of their New England sales reps installing what they sold for materials. It was at this time, he started Smith Roofing Co. which he was still operating at the time of his diagnosis in 2003.

He had so much laughter in life because of his personality, which made him many friends. He loved to work and make everyone he met happy. He was a person no one will forget. His second love was to travel with his wife. They have been to all 50 states and many countries abroad.

Survivors include his wife of 45 years, Chris, of Mechanic Falls; a son, Thomas David Smith and his wife, Ann, of Mechanic Falls; four daughters, Terry Gagnon and her husband, Dave, of North Carolina, Holly Bachman and her husband, Lothar, of Auburn, Robin Dunn and her husband, Bruce, of California, and Kim Leone, of California; a sister, Ann Fenderson and her husband, Wesley, of Auburn; a sister-in-law, Evie Smith, of Auburn; eight grandchildren; six great-grandchildren, which were his pride and joy; several nieces and nephews; his father-in-law, U.E. Kyllonen of Mechanic Falls; and special friends, Andy Moore, Tisha Smith, Rick Parent and Bob Crabtree.

He was predceased by his parents, a brother, William Smith, three nephews, mother-in-law, Christine Kyllonen, and a brother-in-law, Thomas Kyllonen.

“You will always be our angel, since the Lord took you far, although we miss you so, you will always be our shining star.”

Copy the Story Link