Ronald Franklin Smith

Ronald F. Smith, 61, of Fairfield passed away suddenly on Thursday, March 8, 2007. Caring, charismatic, and intelligent,he was a beloved husband and father, and considered "grandpa" to many. Ron was born January 4, 1946 in Lewis County, KY. Upon graduating from Kenton Senior High School in Kenton, Ohio in1964, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corp and served in Vietnam from 1966-1968. He retired from Procter & Gamble in 2002 following thirty-two years of service to the company. He was also a member of the Fairfield Nazarene Church and the Fairfield Optimist Club. For more than twenty years, Ron was passionate about and dedicated to local youth soccer. He coached in the Fairfield Optimist Soccer Club, considering his players and their families to be extensions of his own. Former and current team associations included The Fairfield Foxes, The Fairfield Hurricanes, and the Fairfield Dominators. He also worked with, either presently or in the past, the Ohio South Youth Soccer Association and SAY soccer, assisting in the planning and coordination of several local tournaments, most notably the State Cup, MASC and Buckeye. He spent many happy hours caring for the Fairfield Optimist Soccer fields where he could be found tending them almost everyday. In between soccer seasons, Ron loved to take his RV and go camping. His absence is felt deeply in the hearts of many. He is survived by his mother, Elsie Francis Brown, Anderson, South Carolina; wife, Nanette (McCollum) Smith, Fairfield, Ohio; his children, daughter Amanda Smith, Cincinnati, Ohio; son and daughter-in-law Joe and Becky Smith, Cincinnati, Ohio; daughter Kimberly Smith of Fairfield, Ohio; daughter and son-in-law Sarah (Smith) and Neil Jackson, Ft. Thomas, Kentucky; son Kyle Smith, Fairfield, Ohio; granddaughter, Angelica Jackson, Ft. Thomas, Kentucky; brother Donald, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, brother Paul, Kenton, Ohio; sister Sharon, Anderson, South Carolina; sister Myra, Summerville, South Carolina; and countless other brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, cousins, nieces, nephews, aunts, and uncles. He was preceded in death by his father, Richard Franklin, in 1968, his brother Robert Smith, in 1980, and his first wife Dolly "Betty" in 2002. Visitations will be held at Schindewolf-Stevens-Stout Funeral Home in Kenton, Ohio on Tuesday, March 13th from 5:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m., at The Fairfield Nazarene Church in Fairfield, Ohio on Wednesday, March 14th from 5:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. and Thursday, March 15th from 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. A funeral service will be held on Thursday, March 15th at 11:00 a.m. at The Fairfield Nazarene Church Internment will be at Butler County Memorial Park. Avance Funeral Home of Fairfield is handling the arrangements and is working in association with Schindewolf-Stevens-Stout Funeral Home for the visitation in Kenton. For those who prefer, donations may be made in lieu of flowers to the family directly, The Fairfield Optimist Soccer Club, and/or The Fairfield Nazarene Church building fund.

Visitation

5-8 p.m., Tues. 3/13 @ Schindewolf-Stevens-Stout / 5-8 p.m., Wed. 3/14 @ FF Church of the Nazarene

Service

11 a.m., Thursday, 3/15 @ Fairfield Church of the Nazarene