1921
Frederick
2008
Frederick Smardo
March 12, 1921 — July 20, 2008
Frederick ?Fred? Louis Smardo, the youngest child of Ferdinand and Catherine Pauline (Zitlau) Smardo, was born March 12, 1921 in Rochelle, Illinois. At the age of five, he honed his skills in ?sales? by peddling vegetables. He also worked in a yarn factory and cannery. He graduated from Rochelle Township High School in 1939. To learn a trade, he enlisted in the Army Air Force in 1940 and was transferred to California as an aircraft metal and propeller maintenance worker. Then he transferred to the Air Corps Basic Flying School where he was in charge of the cadets because of his background in typing and accounting. He graduated from Officers Candidate School in April 1943 and became an administrative inspector in March 1944.
During this time he met his future wife, Della Louise Knop at a dance. They were married February 6, 1942, in Palo Alto, California. As an administrative inspector, the couple moved every 6-9 months. During this time, Fred and Del were blessed with two daughters, Katherine Leu and Sharon Lee. The constant moving took its toll on the family and Fred ended his active service in March 1946 as a Captain, but continued in the Air Force Reserves.
After his discharge, the family moved to Natoma, Kansas. In 1947 they began a privately owned hardware and furniture store where he contracted plumbing, heating and electrical jobs. A few years later, they opened a store in Plainville, Kansas. The family grew to include another daughter Barbara Louise and a son Fred Louis, Jr. One of Fred?s side jobs was to climb a wooden pole 80 feet high to change the lights at the football stadium. He was paid $1.00 for each pole.
When the stores closed in 1959, Fred began his insurance career as a district representative with Aid Association for Lutherans. In 1964, he was promoted to General Agent and moved to Kansas City, Missouri. Under his leadership, the agency grew and was ranked in the top five agencies. In 1987, he retired from AAL.
Over the years, Fred served in the following capacities: President and Secretary of Kansas City General Agents? Management Association, President and Vice-President of the Missouri Fraternal Congress; General Agents? Advising Council, Board of Directors of the FIC, President of the Lion?s Club, President and Secretary of St. Paul?s College Association, Director of the AAL Blood Bank for one third of the state of Missouri, President and Treasurer of Beautiful Savior Nursing Home, Member of Missouri District Mission Board in the Lutheran Church Mo. Synod, School Board Member at Bethany Lutheran, and served in various board positions at the Lutheran churches he attended.
Since he had every tool imaginable and could fix anything, he was known as the ?go-to? guy in the neighborhood. He even traveled to Iowa to wire homes for relatives. On every holiday, ?Pop? was always handing out candy to grandchildren and neighborhood kids. Fred and Del enjoyed vacations in Western Europe, Egypt, Spain, Morocco, Canada, and Hawaii.
Fred passed away on Sunday, July 20, 2008, at Menorah Medical Center. He is preceded in death by his parents Fred and Catherine; daughter Kay Melewski; grandson Matthew Wolcott; step-sister Josephine; step-brothers Frank and Walter; and brothers William and George. Fred is survived by his wife Della Smardo of Leawood; son-in-law Bill Melewski of Parkville, MO; daughters Cheri Wolcott and husband Chris of Leawood, and Barb Corder and husband Roger of Leawood; son Dr. Fred Smardo Jr. and wife Holly and granddaughter Carissa and grandson Craig of Fayetteville, AR; granddaughters Mindy Goy and husband Rhett and great-granddaughter Adalie of Tabor, IA, Melissa Wind and husband Paul and great-granddaughter McKenna and great-grandson Austin of Trenton, NJ, and Kim Wolcott of Trenton, NJ.
Visitations will be held from 4-6 pm, Thursday, July 24, at DW Newcomer?s Sons Johnson County Chapel, 112th and Metcalf and at 1:30 pm, Friday, July 25 with funeral services to follow at 2:30 at Bethany Lutheran Church, 9101 Lamar Avenue, Overland Park, Kansas. Interment will follow in Johnson County Memorial Gardens. The family kindly requests no flowers, but memorial contributions can be made in his name to Lutheran Hour Ministries, 660 Mason Ridge Center Drive, St. Louis, MO 63141, or the American Heart Association, 6800 West 93 Street, Overland Park, KS, 66212.
During this time he met his future wife, Della Louise Knop at a dance. They were married February 6, 1942, in Palo Alto, California. As an administrative inspector, the couple moved every 6-9 months. During this time, Fred and Del were blessed with two daughters, Katherine Leu and Sharon Lee. The constant moving took its toll on the family and Fred ended his active service in March 1946 as a Captain, but continued in the Air Force Reserves.
After his discharge, the family moved to Natoma, Kansas. In 1947 they began a privately owned hardware and furniture store where he contracted plumbing, heating and electrical jobs. A few years later, they opened a store in Plainville, Kansas. The family grew to include another daughter Barbara Louise and a son Fred Louis, Jr. One of Fred?s side jobs was to climb a wooden pole 80 feet high to change the lights at the football stadium. He was paid $1.00 for each pole.
When the stores closed in 1959, Fred began his insurance career as a district representative with Aid Association for Lutherans. In 1964, he was promoted to General Agent and moved to Kansas City, Missouri. Under his leadership, the agency grew and was ranked in the top five agencies. In 1987, he retired from AAL.
Over the years, Fred served in the following capacities: President and Secretary of Kansas City General Agents? Management Association, President and Vice-President of the Missouri Fraternal Congress; General Agents? Advising Council, Board of Directors of the FIC, President of the Lion?s Club, President and Secretary of St. Paul?s College Association, Director of the AAL Blood Bank for one third of the state of Missouri, President and Treasurer of Beautiful Savior Nursing Home, Member of Missouri District Mission Board in the Lutheran Church Mo. Synod, School Board Member at Bethany Lutheran, and served in various board positions at the Lutheran churches he attended.
Since he had every tool imaginable and could fix anything, he was known as the ?go-to? guy in the neighborhood. He even traveled to Iowa to wire homes for relatives. On every holiday, ?Pop? was always handing out candy to grandchildren and neighborhood kids. Fred and Del enjoyed vacations in Western Europe, Egypt, Spain, Morocco, Canada, and Hawaii.
Fred passed away on Sunday, July 20, 2008, at Menorah Medical Center. He is preceded in death by his parents Fred and Catherine; daughter Kay Melewski; grandson Matthew Wolcott; step-sister Josephine; step-brothers Frank and Walter; and brothers William and George. Fred is survived by his wife Della Smardo of Leawood; son-in-law Bill Melewski of Parkville, MO; daughters Cheri Wolcott and husband Chris of Leawood, and Barb Corder and husband Roger of Leawood; son Dr. Fred Smardo Jr. and wife Holly and granddaughter Carissa and grandson Craig of Fayetteville, AR; granddaughters Mindy Goy and husband Rhett and great-granddaughter Adalie of Tabor, IA, Melissa Wind and husband Paul and great-granddaughter McKenna and great-grandson Austin of Trenton, NJ, and Kim Wolcott of Trenton, NJ.
Visitations will be held from 4-6 pm, Thursday, July 24, at DW Newcomer?s Sons Johnson County Chapel, 112th and Metcalf and at 1:30 pm, Friday, July 25 with funeral services to follow at 2:30 at Bethany Lutheran Church, 9101 Lamar Avenue, Overland Park, Kansas. Interment will follow in Johnson County Memorial Gardens. The family kindly requests no flowers, but memorial contributions can be made in his name to Lutheran Hour Ministries, 660 Mason Ridge Center Drive, St. Louis, MO 63141, or the American Heart Association, 6800 West 93 Street, Overland Park, KS, 66212.
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