Norbert Jean Smith Sr.

Norbert Jean Smith Sr. of Owensboro and Utica, died on Friday April 17th, at the Carmel Home in Owensboro surrounded by family. He was born August 29, 1931, to Jean Bristow Smith and Mary Rose Collignon Smith of Owensboro, KY. He graduated from St. Francis Academy in June 1949, and served in the US Air Force from Dec 1950 to June 1954.

Norbert, known as Sonny to his family and friends and Helen Rose Krampe, affectionately known by all as "Rosie", were married at St. Martin Catholic Church in Rome KY on January 4th, 1958, by Father Joseph Saffer. Their union began after a short courtship beginning the last week of August 1957 with Sonny proposing on their third date, only a week into their courtship, and lasted for over 63 years until her death in October of 2021. Sonny and Rosie were members at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Brown's Valley and also at Blessed Mother Catholic Church since 2020. Norbert resided at the Carmel Home since 2022.

Norbert was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Helen Rose, his parents, and his brothers Paul, Dennis and Michael. He is survived by his eight children: Norbert Jr (Richelle) of Stafford, VA, Jeffrey (Francie) of Princeton, IN, Gregory (Karen) of Buffalo, KY, Sara (Billy) Wilson of Livia, KY, Vincent (Becca) of Elizabethtown, KY, Maria (Mike) Hatz of Earlysville, VA, Diana (Kerry) Selby of Masonville, KY and Daniel of Utica, KY; 18 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren (and another on the way), by his sister Annette Bryant, and numerous nieces and nephews.

No one could better exemplify the idea of supporting your community. Norbert served in many capacities at St. Anthony Parish; serving for decades as a lector, 35 years as Eucharistic Minister, multiple terms on the parish council and cemetery administrator for over a decade. He assisted with bingo, other fundraisers and involvement at the annual picnics, from pouring water for picnic goers at 10 years old at the old St. Anthony picnic grounds, to manning the barbecue chicken pits and as burgoo master into his seventies. He liked to brag that while he wasn't always the oldest member at St. Anthony's, he was a member there the longest, beginning in 1941. At the time of his death, he finally did hold the title of "oldest member" of the parish.

He also served with the Utica Volunteer Fire Department for 37 years, joining when the county fire departments were established in 1973. To further that service he became an EMT in one of the first classes in Daviess County in 1978, and finally as Chief for 5 ½ years. He was also the first chair and instrumental in forming the Green River Fire Fighters Association Blood Bank in 1986 that is still ongoing to this day that provides free blood products to all members of their families of fire departments in the Green River Fire Fighters Association. If anyone asked for help, he would give it. We saw the dues he paid to his community in the toll on his body, the interrupted sleep and the missed meals when an alarm went off, along with the satisfaction he gained in being there to help save a life or minimize damage to a structure.

Norbert's work ethic was also unparalleled. He was a young man behind a horse-drawn plow on his dad’s farm in Brown's Valley, then served his country with honor & integrity in the Air Force as a radio technician on B-29s during the Korean War. He held many jobs over the years, he was a foreman at WR Grace, at Krampe Construction operating anything that would move dirt, in later years at Moorman Farms (more big toys) and always did the job thoroughly and the right way.

Throughout his life he always farmed: whether it was grain farming, tobacco, a large garden for the dinner table or a tree for shade or beauty. He and Rosie taught their children and grandchildren to do the work that needed to be done, and be proud to say you did your best.

He was very proud of his burgoo recipe, tweaking it to perfection over the years, and hosted and enjoyed many family BBQs. He was a fine baseball & softball player in his prime; playing ball at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, Shaw AFB in SC, and with multiple Brown's Valley and Sutherland teams before and after his service. He usually played left field and in one game he had 17 putouts in that position. He learned to fly in a Cessna plane and earned his pilot’s license. He enjoyed his wife's cooking, his children's senses of humor, and the antics of the many dogs he had as pets through the years. He had the best laugh, and no one made better milk gravy than he did, earning it the title of "exquisite" from his grandchildren.

He was a man of deep faith; he and Rosie received the Sophia Award for St. Anthony Parish in 2002. We are overjoyed that Sonny and Rosie are together again, as they knew they would be.

The funeral Mass for Norbert will be 11 AM Friday, April 24, at St. Anthony Catholic Church, with Father Mike Clark officiating. Visitation will be Thursday from 3PM until 7PM, with prayers taking place at 6:30, and Friday, 9AM until 10:15AM at Glenn Funeral Home and Crematory. Burial will be in the lower NW corner of the St. Anthony Church cemetery, in what used to be deep left field of the old ball diamond where he played as a young man, and next to his beloved Rosie and near their dear friend Fr. Henry O'Bryan. A bereavement meal will be served after the burial at St. Anthony's parish hall.

Norbert's family would like to extend a special thanks to the staff of the Carmel home for their care these last few years and especially for the wonderful care that they provided to him, and his family as he reached the end of his earthly journey.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Anthony Catholic Church, 261 St Anthony Rd, Utica, KY 42376or Blessed Mother Catholic Church, 601 E 23rd St, Owensboro, KY 42303.

Memories and condolences may be offered online www.glenncares.com