A Celebration of Life will be held from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 5 at Nino's, 5219 McHenry Ave., Modesto, for Philip Paul Smith, 71. He died April 23, 2012 at the Alexander Cohen Hospice House in Hughson.
Born Dec. 3, 1940 in Brookings County, South Dakota, Philip was the seventh of 10 children of Paul Thomas Smith and Grace Mahar Smith. He graduated from Willow Springs High in Missouri and served in the Army. He worked for General Motors in the late 1960s to the early 1970s. He wholesaled cars in Modesto for 35 years until retirement. Mr. Smith enjoyed singing and could be heard whenever music was playing.
He leaves behind three children, Jill Smith, Paul Smith and Delayne Coco Mendence, all of Ceres; his partner, Wanda Cox of Modesto; his siblings, Joan Johnson, Celest Berdahl, Shay Kramer, Catherine Miller and Mary Alice Neiber; his brothers, Joseph Smith, and Patrick Smith; three grandchildren, Jason Mendence and Joy Mendence of Riverbank and Oakdale, and Cody Sexton of Ceres; and one great-granddaughter, Jacy of Oakdale. He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Shirley MacTaggart, brother Tim Smith, and wife Ruby Brumley Smith.
-Ceres Courier/ May 2, 2012
Born Dec. 3, 1940 in Brookings County, South Dakota, Philip was the seventh of 10 children of Paul Thomas Smith and Grace Mahar Smith. He graduated from Willow Springs High in Missouri and served in the Army. He worked for General Motors in the late 1960s to the early 1970s. He wholesaled cars in Modesto for 35 years until retirement. Mr. Smith enjoyed singing and could be heard whenever music was playing.
He leaves behind three children, Jill Smith, Paul Smith and Delayne Coco Mendence, all of Ceres; his partner, Wanda Cox of Modesto; his siblings, Joan Johnson, Celest Berdahl, Shay Kramer, Catherine Miller and Mary Alice Neiber; his brothers, Joseph Smith, and Patrick Smith; three grandchildren, Jason Mendence and Joy Mendence of Riverbank and Oakdale, and Cody Sexton of Ceres; and one great-granddaughter, Jacy of Oakdale. He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Shirley MacTaggart, brother Tim Smith, and wife Ruby Brumley Smith.
-Ceres Courier/ May 2, 2012
