Theodore 'Ted' Vincent Smith, Jr.

July 22, 1940 – May 2, 2021

Ted passed away on May 2, 2021, after a lengthy illness surrounded by his loved ones.

He was preceded in death by his parents, T.V. 'Buck' Smith, Sr and Garvis Williams Smith (FL), sister, Beverly Smith West (TN), nephew, Wally West (TN), uncle, Robert Williams (NC), and granddaughter, Jessica Lynn Smith (FL).

He leaves behind his wife Sue Harley Smith of 58 years, sons Mark V. (Maria) Smith (FL) and Scott C. (Dez) Smith (CA), grandchildren Suzie C. Smith (CA), Jordan S. Smith (CA), Summer A. Smith (FL), Nikki B. Smith (FL), brothers, James H. (Mary) Smith (FL), niece Mary (Tom) Smith Haslam their children Jake, Ethan & Emma (FL), niece Katherine Smith (FL), great-grandchildren, Adrianna Kahler (FL), Liam Barry (FL) and many other loving relatives and friends.

Ted was born in Chattanooga, TN on July 22, 1940, and moved to Tampa, Florida when he was 13 years old. He graduated from Plant H. B. High School in 1959 and attended St. Petersburg Jr. College. In his earlier employment years, he was a supervisor at Tampa Water Plant, a Policeman on the Tampa Police Department, owned a Feed and Western Supply Store in Brandon, FL before moving to South Florida and becoming Operations Manager for an International Industrial Paper Company in Miami, FL. He retired in 1997 at which time became a warehouse consultant for the same company for several years. Meanwhile in his retirement he organized a consulting and warehousing company which he moved from Florida to California. His son, Scott took over the warehousing company in 2001 in California.

Ted spent many years while living in Riverview, Miramar, Cooper City, Ft. Lauderdale and Tavernier, Florida boating with family and friends in South Florida and Bahamas. In 1999 he and his wife Sue moved to Sonora, California.

After enjoying his new life in California raising cows for the freezer, various birds and pygmy goats for pleasure his adventurous spirit caught up with him. After exploring America pulling several straight trailers at different times, he sold his California property in 2005. Ted bought a Class A motorhome that he and his wife called home for 16 years. He moved back to Florida for good in July 2019.

Ted and his wife Sue spent the last 16 years together exploring all they could see in the United States from Key West to Alaska, British Columbia, Alberta, and the Yukon. Ted had a passion for wood carving making walking sticks, canes, sea life and other animals which he sold and gave away. In addition to his hobby, he was passionate about boating, the Bahamas, exploring, traveling, horses, all other animals and mostly his family. Ted was a unique human being that had a large capacity to engage other people in whatever he was involved in. He will be missed by many.

There will be a private celebration of his life later.