Obituary of Joseph F. Smyder

Joseph F. Smyder of Vestal, NY Joseph Franklin Smyder, Sr. age 87, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, brother, and friend, passed from this life into eternal life on March 3rd, 2024, after an extended illness. His devoted wife, Janet L. (Berry) Smyder, predeceased him by only a week. He was also predeceased by parents, John William Smyder, Sr. and Leona Mae (Butler) Smyder, and one brother, John "Bub" William Smyder, Jr. He is survived by his son and daughter in law: Joseph F. Smyder, Jr. and Beth Smyder (Chesapeake, VA), daughters and son in law: Valerie A. Smyder (Vestal, NY) and Kathleen J. (Smyder) and Sean L. Powell (Fairfax Station, VA), five grandchildren: Rebecca M. and Rachel M. Smyder, and Summer N., Madeleine C. and Sophia G. Powell, two great grandchildren: Kathleen and Liam Powell, brother and sister in law: Jerome P. and Fran Smyder, as well as his sisters and brothers in law: Jean (Smyder) and James Scaptura and Jeraldine Ann (Smyder) and Brian J. O'Donnell. Joe was a proud member of the United States Navy, serving honorably from 1954-1975, including two tours during the Vietnam War. After honorably retiring from military service as an AMHC, Joe moved his family from Virginia to Vestal, NY, after accepting a position with Singer Link in Kirkwood, NY. There, he worked as a quality control engineer, specializing in simulator hydraulic systems for commercial and government projects, including NASA. After retiring from this career in the mid-1990s, he joined his beloved wife as a school bus driver for ten more years. Joseph was a long-time member of the Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church, where he served as a tenor and baritone in the traditional and funeral choirs for several years before falling ill. Joe loved enjoying his vacation property on Seneca Lake with his immediate and extended family. He provided priceless childhood memories for them through boating, waterskiing, and fishing. In the winter, he would travel to the lake to hunt with his father, brothers, and other family members. He had a joyful and easy sense of humor, with a warm and welcoming laugh. His jokes, "dad-isms" and sayings were plentiful and memorable. He had great musical ability which included playing the French horn and singing a beautiful, rich tenor and baritone in the church choir. He had an innate ability to harmonize seamlessly and often sung favorite songs to his children. Joe was a kind, gentle, good humored and loving grandfather. He always greeted family with a smile and huge hug and said good bye the same way. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy in his memory may be made to the Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church in Vestal, NY or Mercy House of the Southern Tier, 212 N. McKinley Ave., Endicott. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, March 9th, 2024, at 11:00 am at Our Lady of Sorrows Church, 801 Main St., Vestal, NY 13850. The family will receive friends at 10:00 am at Our Lady of Sorrows Church directly before funeral services that same day. Burial for Joseph and Janet will be at Holy Cross Cemetery, Watkins Glen, NY, on Monday, March 11, 2024 at 11:30a.m.