Kent Alexander Smith ’84

Kent Alexander Smith, age 55, and a graduate of Albion High School Class of 1979, passed away Tuesday, August 2, 2016 at his home in Newbury Township.

Kent was born January 14, 1961, to Ken and Susan (McPherson) Smith. He was very active in United Methodist Church youth programs, Boy Scouts, and the Albion school system’s intramural and varsity sports programs, and played football all four years of high school for the Albion Wildcats.

He attended Hope College in Holland, Michigan for three years and then transferred to Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) in Cleveland, where he was a member of the Delta Upsilon fraternity. He graduated from CWRU in 1985, with a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering and remained in the Cleveland area designing tools, consumer products, and industrial and commercial equipment for a number of large tool companies, including extensive tenures with Rotor Tool, Ridge Tool (Rigid), AeroControlex, MTD Products, Diamond Products, The Robins Company (who manufactures large tunnel boring machines), and Horsburgh & Scott. His close friend and colleague Martin Marsic said, “Kent was a very creative and technically astute hands-on mechanical engineer, and the most thorough engineer I’ve ever worked with. His work was meticulous.”

Kent was a registered Professional Engineer and was awarded five United States patents. His work took him to locations throughout the United States as well as Argentina, Malaysia and China. From his youth, Kent was a fan of science fiction, and as an adult he was active in Tuchux, the live-action role-playing martial arts group based on the science fiction story “Nomads of Gor” written by John Norman in 1969.

Kent enjoyed the sport of hockey with his son, Dieken and was a goalie coach at Geauga Youth Hockey while his son was a member.

Kent is survived by his parents; son, Dieken Smith; sisters, Carmen Smith and Michelle (Mike) Mertens; one nephew; and three nieces. Kent Smith was much loved and will be remembered for his intelligence, good-humor, ready smile, and brotherly friendship. Kent’s French Mastiff, Camulos was his special companion. “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”