Raymond P. Smith, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, passed away November 29, 2011; four days after celebrating his 77th birthday on November 25th. His loved ones remember him best as a resilient man who never started something without finishing it and always doing it well. For years, Ray battled leukemia, and heart and lung diseases; never letting his ailments defeat him. Born in London in 1934, Ray spent most of his childhood in Canterbury, England. Ray often shared memories of growing up during World War II. He could recall shooting pebbles through slingshots at German planes flying over the parks where he played in his youth. At the age of 13, he contracted rheumatic fever and dropped out of school. After recovering, he went to work to help support his mother and younger siblings. Even though he never finished school, he did not let it stop him from becoming a successful entrepreneur. As a young man, Ray joined the British Army and later served as a merchant marine. He traveled the world and grew to acquire a love for food; later becoming a restaurateur and cook. However, his life-long passion was for cars. When he moved to San Antonio in 1977, he opened “RPS Sports Cars Specialist,” a foreign car repair and restoration shop on Basse Road. His work was even featured in a 1991 Express-News article titled, “Car Lover Finds Wife, Dog, Work Across Sea.” Even up until his death, Ray continued his work as a repairman, restoring his own home with his wife. He was also a life-long lover of dogs. Friends can remember him always having a faithful dog at his side, even while at work in his repair shop. Ray was a member of the British Sporting Club in San Antonio and participated in many of their activities. Ray is preceded in death by his parents and two sisters. He is survived by his wife, Barbara Smith, one son and a step-son, a sister and brother, four grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and his beloved dog, Lucy. Ray will be missed by many friends who admired him.
A memorial service to celebrate Ray’s life will be held at 3:00 p.m., Tuesday, December 6, 2011, at St. Joseph Catholic Church – Honey Creek (25781 State Highway 46 W., Spring Branch, Texas). In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to a charity of your choice.
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