Willard Kent Smith

Willard Kent Smith, 88, of Topeka, Kansas peacefully passed away on Tuesday January 23rd, 2024, at Aldersgate Village surrounded by his family after a long battle with Alzheimer's. Willard was born on August 26th, 1935, to Charles Redding and Jessie Violetta Lee Smith in Uvalda, Toombs County Georgia.

Willard attended Hialeah High School in Miami, Florida before enlisting in the United States Army where he served in the Korean Conflict as a medic until being honorably Discharged at Fort Riley Kansas on January 23rd, 1957. He married Karen Lucille Schanefelt of McFarland, Kansas on June 14th, 1958. The couple moved to Kansas City where Willard completed a degree in Electrical engineering from Finlay Engineering college. He was licensed as a Professional Engineer who worked on a variety of projects throughout the United States. This led to Willard being an engineer on the crawler transporter that was used to transport spacecraft from NASA's vehicle assembly building to the launch pad.

In 1972, he landed a job at Walt Disney World, a fledgling theme park in Orlando. He retired from Walt Disney in 2000 as Director of the Utilities for the company's properties in Orlando. After retiring, Willard and Karen moved to Topeka where he spent time with his family, taking trips in his corvette and working in his shop. As an engineer, he had endless curiosity in tinkering on many "projects".

Willard is survived by Karen Smith his wife of 65 years, his son Bryan W. Smith, granddaughters Emily Nilges and Erin Smith and great granddaughter Leila Nilges.

Willard was preceded in death by his father Charles, mother Jessie, his brother Eugene, Sister Lois Conner. He has a surviving younger sister Winifred Fontenot.

A graveside service at the McFarland Cemetery will be planned and announced at a later date.

In lieu of flowers the family would request donations in his name to the Helping Hands Humane Society, 5720 SW 21st Street, Topeka, KS 66604.