Brenton Smith

Brenton Smith

Brenton Noble Smith was born in Indianola, Iowa, June 24, 1924 to Effie Jane Noble Smith and James Raymond Smith. He had three brothers and one sister that have preceded him in death. 

Brenton was, in retrospect, an amazing and blessed man who was the father of his two sons Michael B. Smith and Stanley J. Smith (preceded him in death), a follower of His Risen Savior, and elder of both Reformed Presbyterian and the United Reformed Churches, husband of his first wife Mary Margaret Prevost Smith who preceded him in death, and a faithful husband, companion and friend to his second wife Marilyn Peterson Smith who also preceded him in death. 

Brenton survived the Great Depression as a youth and was a World War II veteran.

Brenton was a mechanical engineer and held a Masters from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Brenton worked for the North American Aviation Division, Rocketdyne, in Canoga Park, California in the early 1950s and was part of the team that developed rocket engine and propulsion systems that took man into space and would eventually take man to the moon.

Brenton was also employed and retired from Hughes Aircraft Company where he was an integral part of the team that developed surveyor, the first craft a soft landed on the moon.

Brenton once said that engineers were born not made and looking back on his life we would have to agree. 

Brenton was a member of the Lynden Choral Society for many years under the direction of Claire vg Thomas and later, Gerald Rutgers, and loved singing Handel’s Messiah every year.

Brenton was also an avid small boat sailor in days past. He was a member of the United Reformed Church, Covenant Grace in Custer, Washington.

Brenton loved his Savior and was a student of God‘s word. 

Brenton is survived by his eldest son Michael (Jeanne) B. Smith and his daughter-in-law Patricia Collins Smith, eight grandchildren:  Alison Smith, Jennifer (Eric) Johnson, Jonathan (Heather) Smith, Matthew (Monica) Smith, Colin (Erin) Smith, Megan (Gary) Mellema, Timothy Smith, Lindsay (Klayton) Louis, and 23 great grandchildren. 

Memorial contributions may be made to the Lynden Choral Society.

You are invited to join the family for a 1:30 p.m. burial on Thursday, Dec. 2 at Monumenta Cemetery, followed by a 2 p.m. memorial service at Covenant Grace Reformed Church, Lynden.

Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Gillies Funeral Home and Cremation Services.