THOMAS B. SMILEY, 86

Thomas B. Smiley, 86, husband of Dolores E. (Sellers) Smiley, passed away peacefully after a brief illness at home on December 7, 2014. He was born on January 27, 1928 in Kimberton, PA. He was the son of the late John F. Smiley & Sara (Fulmer) Smiley.

He was a graduate of the Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades in the carpentry trade. He started his trade with N. Clyde Ray Builders of Kimberton. After his Army enlistment, he was employed for 40 years for C. Raymond Davis & Sons of Kimberton, as a carpenter, foreman, & superintendent for various work sites. His carpentry & mechanical skills led him to build his own home in Kimberton in 1955, where his family lived until 2013. After that time, Tom & his wife Dolores moved to the Sanatoga Ridge Retirement Community in Sanatoga, PA.

Tom was a dedicated volunteer firefighter & member with over 50 years of service to the Kimberton Fire Company & Chester County. He held the offices of Membership Secretary, Trustee, Assistant Fire Chief, & was the departments Fire Chief from 1958 to 1971. He served on the Kimberton Fair committee for many years. The last several years of his active time with the fire company he was the groundskeeper.

He served in the Army during the Korean War. His time was spent in Germany & was assigned to an Engineering Company responsible for setting up replacement bridges & supporting the rebuilding of Germany. He served as tax collector for 12 years for the East Pikeland Township. He was an avid follower of the foxhounds & hunt clubs that included the Pickering Hunt, Kimberton Hunt, Doc Addis's Warwick Village Foxhounds as well as other hunts in Chester & Lancaster counties. He enjoyed the friendship and storytelling of the hunters who followed in the cars as well as foxhunting with his brother Jack & son David in the later years.

Tom is survived by his wife & a son. He was predeceased by his wife Juanita June (Sellers) Smiley, whom he was married to for 53 years. He was also predeceased by seven brothers, Morris, Oliver, Donald, Robert, Wallace, Richard & John L. "Jack", and three sisters Margaret Gilbert, Bette Gates and Ruth Christianson.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades, Media, PA. At his request there will be no viewing & a private burial will be at a later time.

Excerpt from: "The Mercury"; 10 Dec 2014.