Bevan Wayne Smith

Bevan Wayne Smith, 81 years of age, and a resident of Lorain, passed away Thursday, April 20, 2023, at Ames Family Hospice House following a year-long struggle against an aggressive cancer.

Bevan was born July 24, 1941, in Parkersburg, West Virginia where he was raised until moving with his family to Lorain as a toddler.  He graduated from Lorain High School in 1959 class.  He served in the US Army from 1961-1964, stationed at Ft. Clayton, Panama Canal Zone for 28 months. He received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Kent State University in 1971 and a Masters Degree in Communications from Bowling Green State University in 1972.

Bevan worked as a campus safety director on various college campuses including the University of Michigan, Dearborn Campus, University of Oregon Health Sciences, Portland, Oregon, and as the interim director of campus safety at Lorain County Community College.  Prior to that, Bevan worked as an administrative assistant for the Lorain County Prosecutor’s Office.

Blessed with a spirit of curiosity, Bevan loved to meet new people and hear about their own lives and interests.  A loving father and grandfather,  he was always eager to help out in whatever way he could.  Bevan especially delighted in his role as grandfather.  He loved taking pictures of his family on every occasion and he cared deeply about his life-long friends.   Bevan had a warm presence, with a sharp wit and contagious sense of  humor.

He leaves to cherish his memory, his wife of fifty-seven years, Frances Smith (nee: Montalto); his children, Adam Montalto of Boise, ID; Angela Meyer of Scottsdale, AZ; and his grandchildren, Andrew Paul Meyer, Natalie Marie Meyer and Elisabeth ‘Ellie’ Grace Meyer; sisters-in-law Carol Payne Smith of Kalamazoo, MI,  Mary Jo Duffy, of Lorain, Marian Montalto of Ft Worth Texas, brothers-in-law Robert Montalto of Athens, Ohio and Michael Montalto, of Oakland, CA, nieces and nephews.

Bevan was preceded in death by his stillborn infant daughter, Mary Frances Smith; his siblings Robert L. and William P. Smith, his in-laws, Joseph and Marie Montalto and his parents, Clifford Smith and Esther Smith (nee: Burdette), and brothers-in-law, Fred Montalto and Daniel C. Duffy.

 Full military honors will be provided by the the Amherst Veterans Military Honor Guard on Friday, May 19, 2023 at 4:00 p.m. at the Italian American Veterans Hall, 4567 Oberlin Avenue, Lorain.    A Celebration of Life will be held May 20, 2023 from Noon - 3 p.m. at the Italian American Veterans Hall, 4567 Oberlin Avenue, Lorain.
 
The family suggests that memorial contributions be made to Second Harvest Food Bank, 5510 Baumhart Rd., Lorain, Ohio 44053 or The Salvation Army, 2506 Broadway Ave., Lorain, Ohio 44052.

For those unable to attend please visit the funeral home's website to share a memory and sign the guest register, www.hempelfuneralhome.com.

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