Obituary : Philip A. Smith
Philip Alan Smith, 77, Korean War Veteran, beloved friend, companion, husband of Shirley (Steere) Whitehead-Smith, died peacefully at the Martha's Vineyard Hospital on Christmas Eve with his wife at his side.
A son of Arthur Henry Smith and Mary Ione Puterbaugh, he was born in New London, Conn., in May of 1931. He traveled extensively as a child, as his father was a member of the U.S. Coast Guard.
Philip served four years in the U.S. Army, nearly three of those years in Japan and Korea. After discharge from the Army, he spent 16 years in U.S. Army Reserves. He worked as a stone mason-bricklayer, then as a welder at the Quincy Shipyard. He was then employed at the M.B.T.A. in Boston for 18 years where he was an M.B.T.A. Police Officer, then drove trains and buses. When he moved to Martha's Vineyard, he had a variety of jobs. His last job was as a stock clerk at Shirley's Hardware. Philip enjoyed studying Civil War history.
He was pre-deceased by his parents, his first wife Joan Parker Smith, his son Alan David Smith, his sisters Myra Doherty and Zoe I. Steere.
He is survived by his wife Shirley, his children Kelley Gilbert and her husband Duane, Stacey Stewart and her husband Kevin, James P. Smith and Holly G. Medas. He also leaves six grandchildren, two great-granddaughters, his sister Barbara Gould and her husband, Robert, his sister Faye Pineo and her husband, Carroll, his brother Charles T. Smith and his wife, Joan. He also leaves many nieces and nephews, and his Steere in-laws and numerous friends from Maine to Alabama.
Visiting hours were Tuesday, Dec. 30, at the Chapman, Cole & Gleason Funeral Home in Oak Bluffs. They were followed by an 11 am funeral home service with the Rev. Arlen Bodge officiating. Burial followed in the Oak Grove Cemetery in Oak Bluffs with full military honors offered by the Veterans of Martha's Vineyard. Donations in Philip's memory may be made to the Martha's Vineyard Hospital, P.O. Box 1477, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557 or to American Legion Post 257, P.O. Box 257, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568.
