John Phillip Smith

Phil left this earthly life on February 17, 2024. Phil was born on July 10, 1935 in Kansas City, Missouri. His parents were Edwill Bixler Smith and Ruth Henrietta Jane Price Smith. He was the fifth of six children. Throughout his childhood he lived in Davenport, Iowa; Douglas, Arizona; Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico; Victorville, California and Apple Valley, California. Phil was honored to be the salutatorian at Victor Valley High School, Class of 1953. Phil received his Bachelor of Civil Engineering degree from the University of Santa Clara in June 1957. He obtained his Master of Science degree from Stanford University in June 1958. He is a member of the engineering honorary fraternity, Tau Beta Pi. He started service in the US Army, Corps of Engineers in July 1958. He was stationed in France with the 82nd Engineer Battalion. He completed active duty with the rank of 1st Lieutenant in July 1960. Phil met the love of his life, Georgia Ann Washut, at a Halloween party of the young people’s group at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Casper, Wyoming in 1960. Georgia and Phil were married May 26, 1962 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Buffalo, Wyoming. They have celebrated 61 years of marriage. To this marriage were born three children, Kathryn Ann in 1963 in Casper, Wyoming; Michael Phillip in 1964 in Port Arthur, Texas; and Karla Jane in 1967 in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. They have been blessed with six grandchildren, Ian Blaise Smith, Delaney Louise Smith, Brendan George Smith, Alise Kathleen Swann, Camille Jane Swann and Audrey Ann Swann. Phil started with The Texas Company (later named Texaco) in June 1957 at Los Angeles Works in Wilmington, California. From there he was assigned to the Texaco refineries in Casper, Wyoming and Port Arthur, Texas. He was transferred to the Texaco Engineering Department in Houston, Texas in October 1964. Thereafter, he was assigned as the Site Construction Manager for the construction of a grass-roots refinery in Puerto Cortes, Honduras. He continued in project management and traditional civil engineering with Texaco for many years. Phil was a registered professional engineer in Wyoming and in Texas, and active in industrial and professional committees for the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM), the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Science (ABET). He is Fellow of the ASCE, ASTM, Texaco and Chevron. He retired from Texaco in June 1997 after 40 years of service. In retirement he continued a mentoring assignment with Texaco and Chevron. Phil’s family has lived in the Memorial area for 55 years, and many neighbors have watched him run throughout the neighborhoods for many decades. He started running in 1979 and completed his first marathon in January 1981. As of 2023, he was the oldest runner of the Houston Aramco Half Marathon. For many years, he held the distinguished title of completing the most consecutive Houston Marathons. Overall, he has completed 27 marathons and 15 half marathons. He continued running throughout his lifetime and well into his 88th year. He was the President of the Nottingham Civic Association where he was responsible for the planting of the oak and pine trees that are still along North Kirkwood Drive. He was active with Georgia in religious education of children at St. John Vianney Catholic Church, and a member of the Parish Council. He was President of the Westchester High School Booster Club and was inducted into the Spring Branch Athletic Hall of Honor in 1984. He was active and involved in the interests of his family and neighborhood for many years. The family appreciates your love and support. In lieu of flowers, please consider a charitable donation in his honor to either of the listed organizations: - The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston to provide for secondary educational assistance: https://www.archgh.org/schools - The Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation https://cholangiocarcinoma.org/donate The Smith family will be present to receive friends Thursday, February 22, 2024 from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM with a Holy Rosary being recited at 7:00 PM at Dettling Funeral Home, 14094 Memorial Dr., Houston, TX 77079. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated Friday, February 23, 2024 at 10:30 AM at St. John Vianney Catholic Church, 625 Nottingham Oaks Trail, Houston, TX 77079.

John Phillip Smith

July 10, 1935 - February 17, 2024