Captain Homer Francis Smith II
Captain Homer Francis Smith II, CEC, US Navy (ret) has set forth on his final voyage to the hereafter. He was born in Akron, Ohio, to Homer F. and Elizabeth Laudenbach Smith. Homer attended King Lake elementary school, Kent State University High School and later graduated from the US Naval Academy with honors. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering and a minor in Nuclear Engineering in 1963. After graduation he was stationed on a ship home ported in Yokosuka, Japan, and was subsequently selected for post-graduate school and conversion from Navy Line (seagoing) to the Civil Engineer Corps (CEC). The CEC consists of the Construction Battalions (Seabees), Contracting Officers, and Base Engineers for all US Navy facilities worldwide.
Attending the University of Michigan he received a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Civil Engineering. It was in Ann Arbor that he met the love of his life and his wife of 49 years, Jean Ann McKibben. Married in 1966 their sole child Courtney Ann was born in 1967 and upon graduation all moved to the US Naval Base Subic Bay Philippines. Follow-on tours during his 27 year career included Hong Kong, Vietnam, Puerto Rico, Guam, Spain, Italy and several interim tours in the US. Upon retirement from the US Navy in 1990 Homer and Jean moved to Saudi Arabia where he used his construction engineering talents as a Project Manager for the oil giant Saudi ARAMCO. Homer was in charge of building many extremely large projects including the world?s largest oil storage tank, off-shore loading terminals for Ultra Large Crude Carriers, a 60 inch pipeline across Saudi Arabia and a refinery upgrade.
Retiring from ARAMCO in 1999 Homer and Jean returned to Santa Barbara where Courtney lived. With Jean?s mantra that "marriage is for better or worse, but not for lunch," Homer worked as the Principal Engineer for the City of Santa Barbara until 2009. He ran the Solid Waste and Environmental Program, Water Resources (water, wastewater and water supply), Design and Construction projects, City Land Development projects, Real Property dealings and the City Survey Crew.
In 2009 Homer served as Commodore of the Santa Barbara Yacht Club and continued sailboat racing with his friends. In addition to sailing and golf he and Jean shared a passion for helping retired racing Greyhound dogs. He donated his time, money and a foster home to the cause. Homer also volunteered with hospice as a volunteer for the Visiting Veterans Program.
During the many years of overseas Navy assignments and ten years living in Saudi Arabia, Homer and Jean travelled extensively, having visited over 100 countries. Singapore and Bali remained their favorite getaways.
Homer is survived by his wife Jean Mckibben Smith, his daughter Courtney Smith and her husband Alexander Steenbakkers-Noffke, his grandchildren Ava and Rhett Steenbakkers-Noffke, his sister DiAnn Button, his nieces Beth Greger, Laura Keller and Mel Button, his sister-in-law Cindy Mckibben, his nephew Christopher Mckibben, niece Megan Mckibben and her husband Scott Wigle and grand nephew Samuel Mckibben.
The family would like to thank Hospice and the many friends and family members that called, visited or rolled up their sleeves to help Homers last days be comfortable and to remind him of the special place he occupied in their hearts and lives.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests that those interested can "pay it forward" by making a donation to Santa Barbara Visiting Nurse and Hospice, the US Naval Academy Alumni Association or Homestretch Greyhound Rescue and Adoption (P.O. Box 1079, Filmore CA, 93016). Or a charity of your choice .
A Celebration of Life will be held at the Santa Barbara Yacht Club, November 23, 2015 at 3 to 5 pm.
Published in The Santa Barbara News-Press Online Edition from Oct. 30 to Nov. 3, 2015