Obituary of Carlton Smith

Resident of Ben Lomond Carlton Smith, also known as "Snuffy", 92, died peacefully in his Ben Lomond, CA, home on July 24, 2016. A resident of Santa Cruz County for over 85 years, he was a treasured husband, brother, father, grandfather, and uncle, and a veteran of World War II, as a B-17G Electrician and Waist Gunner during the war. Carlton was born on December 31, 1923 in San Jose, CA. In 1943, he joined the Army Air Corp and was stationed in Amarillo, TX, where he met his beloved wife, Ora, who taught him electricity related to the B-17. After graduating from training, he was assigned to the 486th Bomb Group (http://www.486th.org/BS833/Dimel.htm) and deployed to England as a Sergeant. He was shot down on his 12th mission on November 10, 1944 over Belgium, and his plane crash landed, and after recovering, he completed a total of 33 Combat Missions, and was subsequently awarded the Air Medal with four bronze stars and clusters. He was discharged as a Staff Sergeant with full honors in 1945, and turned his air force training to working as a journeyman Hod Carrier, helping to create brick-and-mortar masterpieces throughout the Bay Area for more than 40 years. Carlton was a brave and loyal soldier, as well as a patient, devoted, and loving husband, brother, father, grandfather and uncle. A natural hard worker, he was known to always help friends and family at all times, with the character and reputation of trusting God and taking things "in stride", one day at a time. Widowed in 2011, he spent his remaining time enjoying and supporting his family and friends. Carlton is preceded in death by his beloved wife of 67 years, Ora; and survived by his son, James (Christine) Smith; his daughters, MaryAnne (Lowell) Baker, Lynda Grace (Omer) Ogren, and Helen Margaret (Larry) Weed; his sister Betty Salsbery; his brother, Clarence Smith; and his grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, nieces and nephews. He is loved greatly by family, neighbors and friends -- he will be greatly missed - he is "one of a kind!" His ashes will be interred with his wife's in the Veterans' Section at Santa Cruz Memorial Park.