Donald T. Smith

After a long and amazing life, Donald T. Smith (Don), 94, of Hillsboro, Oregon passed away peacefully at home on June 27, 2019. Don was born on July 29, 1924 in Seattle, Washington to parents Thad Oliver Smith and Lena Tobacco. Don grew up in the Selleck, Washington area attendingschool and spending his formative years exploring the outdoors with his father and many Italian uncles who worked as local area loggers and miners through the great depression. Despite the hardships of the era, Don remembered this exciting time very fondly. Moving to Gaston, Oregon, Don finished his high school years in Forest Grove and graduated from Forest Grove High School in 1941 and was pursuing an engineering degree at Pacific University when WWII began. After training, Don was shipped overseas and served as a Heavy Weapons Machine Gunner in the 94th infantry division, 302nd regiment under command of General George S. Patton. S/Sgt. Smith fought in the Battle of the Bulge in the harsh winter of 1944-45 where he was wounded saving a group of rifle company men that had been cutoff as German 11th Panzer division tanks overran their position outside of Nennig, Germany. For his heroism, he was awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and the Croix De Guerre- for bravery in battle, and a Presidential Unit Citation was awarded to the 94th who were referred to as “Patton’s Golden Nugget.” Many knew of Don’s wartime heroism and achievements through the book and feature film “Everyman’s War.”
To those that had the pleasure of knowing him personally, he was so much more than that. Don was a man of great character and an avid outdoorsman, reader and deep thinker who had a great sense of humor and dry wit that never let him take life too seriously, and he loved a goodglass of Scotch. He could design, build or fix mostly anything. Don helped build the foundation of the Stimson Lumber & Forest Fiber Products mill in Gaston, where he remained employed for over 40 years, retiring as the company’s General Manager. A courageous, loyal, and wise old soulwho was a devoted father and husband who married the love of his life, Dorine (Foelker) Smith after the war and spent the next 71 years happily married. Together they raised two sons and three daughters. He was deeply loved by his friends, army buddies, and his children, many grandchildren and great grandchildren who miss him and his plainly spoken wisdom dearly. But as his commander, Gen. Patton once said - “It is wrong to mourn these men that have died, rather we should thank God that men like this lived!” Don T. Smith is survived by his wife Dorine, sons- Craig D. Smith & Thad T. Smith (Lynn), daughters-Debbie (Smith) Mosley, Lori (Smith) Oliver (John), and preceded in death by daughter Nancy A. Smith. Private services will be held at Donelson Fir Lawn Cemetery in Hillsboro where Don will be laid to rest with full militaryhonors.
In lieu of flowers, remembrance donations should be made to the 94th Infantry Division Historical Society.
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