Obituary of Neil Smith

SMITH, H. Neil - Born December 7, 1928 in St. Catharines, passed away peacefully in St. Catharines General Hospital in his 81st year. Dear husband and best friend of Sylvia for 38 years. Predeceased by brother Jack L. Smith and sister Veronica Kathleen Greenslade (Smith), parents Hugh and Marguerite Smith and many aunts, uncles and cousins. Neil leaves behind many nieces and nephews. Brother-in-law of Helen Thornton (St. Catharines) and Anne and Frank Purcell (Vineland) and of Arthur Greenslade (Winnipeg). Neil was a teacher for 28 years at St. Michael's College School in Toronto. While a member of the Basilian Fathers of Toronto, he applied to the Vatican for Laicization in 1969 and received permission a year later. He taught in St. Catharines at Grantham High School and Sir Winston Churchill, retiring in 1987. Neil enjoyed his retirement working on the family farm where he and Sylvia moved to in 1980. They had a beautiful relationship, supporting each other in everything they did, and travelled considerably in their earlier years. Neil volunteered in many charitable organizations in St. Catharines: Meals on Wheels, St. Vincent de Paul, The Refugee Committee and Hotel Dieu Hospital. Visitation will be held at PATRICK J. DARTE FUNERAL CHAPEL, 39 Court Street, St. Catharines from 2 - 4 and 7 - 9 p.m. on Friday, December 19. Funeral Prayers in the funeral home at 3:00 p.m. Funeral Mass will be held at St. Julia's Church (Glenridge and Glen Morris Drive) at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 20 with luncheon in the Church Hall after Mass. Cremation will follow. Interment in Victoria Lawn at a later date. Memorial donations to Community Care of St. Catharines or the charity of your choice would be appreciated by the family. Many thanks to Dr. David Lorenzen, our family doctor for many years, and to all the other doctors who helped Neil over the years. Special thanks to Rev. Msgr. Dominic Pizzacalla, P.H., V.G.; Rev. Msgr. Wayne Kirkpatrick P.H.; Fr. Rheal Leblanc, C.S.C.; Fr. Mervin Fernback; Fr. Malachy Smyth, O. Carm. (deceased); Fr. Raymond Jackson, C.S.B. and Fr. Tom Dugan, C.S.B. both of whom generously shared some of their spiritual practices with Neil; from a distance, the Basilian Missions in Texas and Mexico; Sister Louise Dillon and Sister Jacqueline Desroches who always made both Neil and Sylvia most welcome at chapels and hospitals where they served God and the sick most faithfully. May the Great Blessings of the Lord Jesus be with all Basilians and former Basilians, living and deceased. May Frederick Ozanam bless all the members of the St. Julia Conference of St. Vincent de Paul. 11359714