1945-2026
Joseph Marcellus Smith III, 80, of St. Mark, Kansas, was born on June 11, 1945 in Wichita, KS to Joseph and Josephine (Neises) Smith Jr. He married Mary Ann Richards on July 1, 1967. He bought his grandfather's house in St. Marks in 1972, where he and Mary Ann raised their six children. He passed away at home on May 14, 2026.
Joe graduated from Pittsburg State University in 1969 with a degree in Automotive Technology. He got into bridge construction instead and built many of the bridges in and around the City of Wichita, including the canal route and many Kellogg flyovers. He didn’t love traveling, but he once took Mary Ann to England…where all his pictures were of bridges. He retired as a project superintendent from Wildcat Construction in 2012.
Joe lived fearlessly and with a great sense of humor. He may not have loved Mary Ann’s cats, but he did appreciate the concept of their 9 lives: the multiple near death experiences riding motor cross, pushing the limits of his 69 Chevelle in a snow storm, those two bridges that jumped in front of his truck, the time a respected co-worker deflected hooligans from knocking him off while filling gas cans at 4am, and finally the two strokes that only slowed him down.
Joe loved his wife and told her so at least 20 times a day. He found deep meaning in his faith, which became especially important later in his life. When he was struggling, a rosary always helped calm him. He fittingly passed while Mary Ann was saying a rosary over him. Despite him asking for help getting in line for purgatory, we like to think he made it straight to The Pearly Gates.
Joe was preceded in death by his parents Joseph and Josephine, stepfather Vincent Jacobs, and brother Thomas Jacobs.
Joe is survived by his wife Mary Ann; 6 children: Bruce (Gail) Smith, Chad (Rebecca) Smith, Launa (Brian) Shirley, Joseph (Katherine) Smith IV, Charles (Katrina) Smith, Regina (Nathan) Smith; 19 grandchildren: Michelle (Jared), Danielle (Brock), Elizabeth (Jacob), Nicholas, Madelyn, Kaitlyn (Benjamin), Zachary, Ryan (Abby), Isabeau, Jacob, Isaac, Sophia, Cayanne, Elijah, Samuel, Joseph V, Elleanor, Noah, May; 11 great-grandchildren: Allison, Maggie, Olivia, Walter, Vivienne, Charlotte, Ila, Rowan, Elliott, Lainey, and Bonnie; sister Carolyn (Kevin) Rooney, brother Steve (Kim) Jacobs; many nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Wichita.
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