Herb was born in Knowlton, PQ, Canada on October 27, 1928 to Annie Kathleen Grimson and Maurice Albert Smith at the home of his grandparents Herbert W. Grimson and Mary Bourgeois.
Herb moved to the United States some years later where he resided in the Concord, NH area and attended school in both Concord and Penacook. He later served in the Army during the Korean Conflict with the 25th Infantry Signal Corp. and became a full United States citizen shortly after in 1955.
In 1954 Herb married the love of his life; Mary Rose Mallon in his hometown of Concord. Herb and Mary Rose would have four children who they would raised in their first home on Snow Street in Penacook. Every winter they would flood their lawn for the neighborhood to use as a skating rink.
He and his family enjoyed countless camping trips with their close friends the Simoneaus, Hams, Vezinas and Bassets. Each family had a homemade wooden gear box on the top of their car with a hand painted scene depicting something associated with their family name. For Herb Smith's family it was the Smith Brother's Cough Drops logo.
In the summer time most Sundays were spent at Mary Rose's parents cottage near Lake Sunapee. Here, at "Nana" and "Gumps" camp, they would swim, boat and water ski together.
In 1967 they bought a home on an old dirt road in White River Junction next to the Luce Farm. He and Mary Rose raised their family and lippitt morgans here, making many good friends who also loved the "old type" morgans.
In Penacook he had worked at Hoyt's Machine Shop and Tubby's Garage but spent the majority of his 30 plus working years at New England Telephone which later transitioned into AT&T. He was recognized for his perfect attendance most of those years until his son Michael fell ill. His wife Mary Rose became ill not long after.
He was a loving caregiver to them both during their illnesses and suffered a devastating loss when his son Michael died in 1979 at age 22 and again several years later in 1983 when Mary Rose passed away. He loved his family wonderfully and despite the absence of his own father from a young age he went on to become an exemplary father to his children and a loving husband to his wife.
Herb's porch in White River Junction was a gathering place for family and friends in his last years where many a lively discussion was enjoyed. He also looked forward to many Wednesday night meals at the Crossroads Café with his family.
The family home in White River was the setting for his daughter's wedding in 1977 and again this summer he hosted he hosted his eldest grandchild Carl's wedding to his wife Brittany.
Herb enjoyed learning and continued to do so his entire life; there were few subjects to which he couldn't speak. When his grandchildren were born he was dubbed "Grandsire." Later the children would come to call him "Grampsire," and eventually shortened to the name most would come to know him by: "Gramps."
He loved sports, particularly football and hockey. He played adult hockey at the rink in Hartford, Vermont for many years and loved to watch "Hockey Night in Canada with Don Cherry" on television.
Herb's values and principles were ones that we all aspire to and nothing more than he would expect from his fellow human beings.
He is survived by his sons and their partners: Stephen and Karen Smith of White River Junction, Robert Smith and his girlfriend Kerry of West Lebanon, NH, and his daughter Kimberly and husband Bodie Kelton of White River Junction. His five grandchildren Carl Kelton and wife Brittany, Caleb Kelton, Avery Smith, Emily Smith and Kelley Smith. Several nieces and nephews, loved ones Richard and Mooneen Parkinson of Concord, NH, Patrick Parkinson of Concord, Jennifer Keefe of Maine and Sheila Bowley of Proctor, VT.
He was predeceased by his parents, stepfather Donald Jewel, brother Leslie Smith, son Michael J. Smith, wife Mary Rose Mallon Smith and his second wife Phyllis Simoneau.
He will be loved, missed and always remembered. A private celebration of his life will be held at a later date.