Obituary of Hermanus Henricus Antonius Smit

Passed away peacefully on Saturday, December 21, 2024 at the age of 83. He was predeceased by his parents Antonia and Bernard Smit, and younger brothers Tony and John.

Bill will be deeply missed by his wife Maria who he was married to for over 56 years, their sons Michael of Minneapolis, MN, David and his wife Saundra and their daughter Henley, and Gregory of Waterloo. He will also be missed by his brother-in-law Jack (Nicole) of Fergus, sister-in-law Marlene (John) of Guelph, and good friend George. Bill is survived by his brother Henk and had many nieces, nephews, and extended family members near and far.

Born in Aalten, Holland, “Hemmy” as he was known to his family, was the oldest of four sons. He apprenticed as a millwright before leaving with his family for Canada in 1957. They settled in Guelph and in 1968, he and Maria were married and moved to Waterloo where their sons were born.

For a time, Bill was employed at Marsland Engineering and Leigh Instruments, later working at Engel Canada in Guelph for over 20 years until his retirement. He was a faithful member of Our Lady of Lourdes Church and often helped fundraise for his sons' local Boy Scout troop. Later in life, he spent his days volunteering with the MCC Thrift shop in Kitchener.

Dad was incredibly handy and was always eager to help others with their broken TVs and stereos. If your washing machine or soundbar stopped working, Bill was your guy! He was also a big fan of aviation and flight, often taking his sons to air shows (where we all had a blast.) There were some days when Mom wanted to launch Dad to the moon, but settled for sending him on a gliding adventure instead; Dad had a great time soaring across the skies and would be returned to Earth safely.

Bill enjoyed listening to Waltz and Bavarian music and would reminisce of home and his marching band in Holland. He loved soccer and coached his sons both on and off the field to always try their best. He liked playing chess and always welcomed help from his granddaughter Henley with his daily Sudoku puzzle.

Above all, our Dad was a loving husband, father, and grandpa. Always humble, he watched with pride as his sons grew and grew, and we, in turn, looked up to him for his honesty, super-human work ethic, and devotion to Mom. Dad was special and we are all very grateful for his time here with us.

Cremation has taken place, and a Funeral Mass will be held at Our Lady of Lourdes RC Church, 173 Lourdes St., Waterloo on Saturday, January 4, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. A Reception will follow in the church hall.

In lieu of flowers, condolences for the family and donations to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul through Our Lady of Lourdes Parish or the Grand River Hospital Foundation may be arranged through www.erbgood.com.