Walter C. Smith Jr., Was a Prominent Tradesman

Walter C. Smith Jr. died March 9 at the Martha's Vineyard Hospital after a brief illness. He was 63.

He was born on Dec. 7, 1940 in Quincy, the son of Dorothy (Morton) Smith and Walter C. Smith Sr. At age four, Walter moved to the Island to live with his father and grandfather Walter Allen Smith at the family farm in Felix Neck and attended Island schools, with a brief stay at Brewster Academy Prep School in New Hampshire, before returning to the Vineyard to graduate from Edgartown High School. He was an excellent athlete, excelling in baseball, basketball and bowling, and enjoyed fishing and hunting. In his early twenties, he enjoyed coaching baseball and basketball at the Edgartown Boys' Club.

Following graduation, he married Annette Pine in 1959. His initiation into the plumbing trade began with Major LaBell and Edgartown Hardware Store. In 1960, he and his fellow plumber and neighbor, Curtis Boyd, became partners, creating Boyd & Smith Plumbing & Heating Inc., which continued for 16 years. In 1977, Mr. Smith ventured out on his own and established Walter Smith Plumbing & Heating Inc. Before retiring in 1988, he taught his son, Robert (Spike), and son in law, Jim, the trade and, in turn, his grandson James Jr. Mr. Smith was a successful businessman who left a great legacy and thriving business.

Throughout his business career, he found time to volunteer his services to the Edgartown Boys' Club, Edgartown fire department, Edgartown parks department, and was a founding member of the Martha's Vineyard Ice Arena.

Mr. Smith was responsible for the creation of Smith Hollow Farms and Long Pond Acres in Windsor, Me.

Upon retirement, he enjoyed spending time with friends at his beloved property in Maine and visiting with fellow Islanders sharing stories of growing up at Felix Neck with no modern conveniences, especially plumbing! Although Mr. Smith will be remembered as a true Yankee with a tight pocket, he continually played Robin Hood to those less fortunate; he was a true Islander at heart. In recent times, he cherished walking his faithful German shepherd companions, Joe and Vimo.

He is survived by his former wife, Annette Pine Smith, of Edgartown; two children, Robert Smith and wife, Tracey, of West Tisbury and Jacqueline Smith of Hingham; a son in law, James Cimeno Sr. of Edgartown; and three grandchildren, James Cimeno Jr. of Edgartown and Isabel and Olivia Smith of West Tisbury. He was predeceased by Laura Cimeno.

A graveside service was held March 13 at the New West Side Cemetery in Edgartown. A reception followed at the Harbor View Hotel where family and friends alike shared moving and oftentimes humorous stories about Mr. Smith.

Donations may be made to Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, P. O. Box 494, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 or the S.I.D.S. Foundation, One Boston Medical Center Place, Boston, MA 02118; please earmark specifically for research. Arrangements were made by Chapman, Cole & Gleason Funeral Home in Oak Bluffs. For more information and the funeral homes online guest book, visit (www.ccfuneral-hom.com).