John Stephen Smith

Born in Wheeling, WV, Steve grew up in Bellaire, OH, where he attended Saint John Central High School, then worked his way through Wheeling College.  When he was a teaching assistant there, a freshman, Bernice Eichenlaub, caught his eye, and they married in 1963, shortly after she graduated.  They settled in Pittsburgh, PA, and started their family.  He completed his Master’s in Chemistry at Duquesne and his Doctorate in Education Administration at Pitt, then moved south with his family.   After two years in New Orleans, he settled in Birmingham, AL, where he worked for twenty-five years in the administration of the Medical Center at UAB.  After his retirement, he was Vocations Coordinator for the Diocese of Birmingham, a relentless traveler, and a high-impact grandfather.  In 2017 he and Bernie moved to Ashburn, VA.  

Steve and Bernie were in the first group of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Homewood, AL, where they worked together for decades as catechists of both children and adults.  He was active in Scouting with both Troop 21 of Bluff Park, AL and the Birmingham Area Council, organizing the annual First Aid-O-Ree, and sitting on dozens of Eagle Review Boards.  His love of travel included cross-country trains, weeks-long adventures with the family in the station wagon, and foreign travel with his bride to every continent, visiting all the usual places, some very unusual ones including Libya and Antarctica, and wherever his far-flung children happened to be living that year.  He and Bernie were for decades among the core couples for what they simply called The Gourmet Group, who did much more together than just meet monthly for big dinners.  Throughout his life, his time and attention were principally with his family.   

Steve is survived by his wife of 62 years, Bernie; his three children, Msgr. K. B. Smith of Silver Spring, MD, Ann Bolding of Huntsville, AL, and Suzanne (Urs) Schoop of Radolfzell, Germany; his brother, David C. Smith, of Fairfax, VA; and grandchildren Dr. N. Reid (Claire) Bolding of Cleveland, OH, Pierce Bolding of Mobile, AL, and Zoe Schoop of Key West, FL. 

Visitation with the family for neighbors at Ashby Ponds will be on Tuesday evening September 30th from 7:00 PM until 8:30 PM in the Blue Ridge Shenandoah/Middleburg Room.  The Funeral Mass will be 11:00 AM Wednesday October 1st at Saint Bernadette Catholic Church, 72 University Blvd East, Silver Spring, MD 20901.  Interment private. 

In lieu of flowers, donations in Steve’s memory would be gratefully received by Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington, https://secure.ccda.net/Give/Give/Donate/Giving.aspx; click the box for “Dedicate this gift”.