'Gem' of community Lloyd Smith dies
Lloyd Smith was seen as many things to those who knew him: a
dreamer, an inventor, a visionary, a community asset, and a faithful friend and
co-worker. Smith, a longtime Harvey County resident and community supporter,
died Tuesday at Comfort Care Home in Wichita after a long battle with
Alzheimer's disease. He was 86. Virgil Penner of North Newton knew Lloyd for
about 25 years. He said Lloyd was a visionary who had grand ideas for Newton.
'Lloyd and I had a long relationship working on improving downtown, even before
I started with the Chamber (of Commerce),' Penner said. 'We talked about the
Old Mill and putting a restaurant in it, and he was instrumental in working
with me to get Blue Sky funding. He donated the artist's costs for Blue Sky. He
and his wife also were both very involved in fine arts and music at Bethel
College.
'Lloyd and I would sit down over dinner and dream up ideas,'
Penner said. 'He always was a supporter of me from the standpoint that he could
see things others don't normally see until they're put together.'
Lloyd moved to Harvey County in 1958, when he took a job
with Hesston Corp. in Hesston. He became vice president of marketing, with
responsibilities for domestic and international sales and long-range planning
for product and marketing. He also was on the board of directors of the
company.
In 1971, Lloyd formed S/V Tool Co. in Newton. The company
specialized in hand tools for the mass consumer markets. He developed and
marketed a line of windshield scrapers and snow brushes, a screwball ratcheting
screwdriver and other tools.
Perhaps his most notable invention was a ratchet-handled
screwdriver, the 'Screwball,' which was purchased by Sears for its Craftsman
line of tools.
Lloyd also had an interest in historic preservation. He was
instrumental in restoring the former Warkentine Mill into the Old Mill Plaza.
The Old Mill Plaza was built in 1879 by Monarch Steam Mills. It was purchased
by Bernhard Warkentin, a Russian immigrant, in 1886 and used to mill Turkey Red
hard winter wheat immigrants brought to Kansas from Russia.
In 1973, the building was deteriorating, fire damaged and
scheduled for demolition. At midnight, before the demolition was to resume, the
mill was saved when Lloyd and his wife purchased the complex. The complex was
restored and now is home to a Reba's restaurant and offices.
The restoration project received national attention and earn
a top national award: The David E. Finley Award for excellence in historic
preservation.
Lloyd also was active in many community organizations. He
was an elder and trustee at First Presbyterian Church; director of the Newton
Area Chamber of Commerce; on the advisory board of the Salvation Army; was
director of Axtell Christian Hospital; was on the Presidents Advisory Council
of Bethel College; was on the board of director at First Bank of Newton; and
was district governor of the Rotary Club.
Ted Ice of Newton said Lloyd was like a second father to
him. He said Lloyd had many accomplishments, including being a great fine arts
painter; serving on the board of trustees at Ghost Ranch in New Mexico, which
is a Presbyterian conference and fine arts center; restoring a house at 715 W.
Broadway St.; and inventing many agricultural tools and a plastic windshield
scraper.
Lloyd was born on May 14, 1923, in Great Bend. He graduated
from Great Bend High School in 1939. He served his country in World War II as
an Army Air Corp bomber pilot. He flew 30 missions in a B24 bomber during the
war. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross as well as an Air Medal and
Ribbon for service in both the European and Pacific theaters of operation.
Lloyd graduated from Kansas State University in 1947 with a
degree in mechanical engineering.
On June 12, 1949, he married Jacqueline McCalla Bowen at
First Presbyterian Church in Manhattan. She preceded him in death on Aug. 29,
2000. He married Sarah Taleen in 2001 in Wichita, and she survives.
Ray Adee of Newton got to know Lloyd when they both studied
mechanical engineering and were in the same social fraternity at K-State. They
later worked together at Krause Plow Co. in Hutchinson and then what is now
Hesston Corp.
'Back in college he was an outstanding honor student in
engineering,' he said. 'On the work side, he was always thinking of better ways
to do things. To do something new and different. He said a company needs to
excel at one thing - and be great at it - not try to do everything.'
Adee said Lloyd had numerous patents on products and tools.
'He had an unfaltering confidence in the future,' Adee said.
'He said if we just work together and be creative, we can accomplish things.'
Glen Ediger of North Newton worked at S/V Tool Co. for three
years and worked with Lloyd in a partnership another two years.
'The two of us did design projects,' he said. 'We did some
things for Fiskars, picture frame designs, and lawn and garden designs. Working
with him was one of the best things to happen to my career. He was a true
entrepreneur who was always looking for new ideas.'
Ediger said the company sold products nationwide and did
national advertising.
'Lloyd was a mentor, spending many hours with me, sharing
his thoughts, ideas and knowledge of business,' he said. 'He was a living
definition of an entrepreneur, endlessly thinking of ideas and business plans.
Even though he was of a different generation than me, he was a true friend that
I truly admired.'
A memorial service will be announced at a later date.
Petersen Funeral Home in Newton is in charge of arrangements.
Also surviving Lloyd are his three children, William Bowen
Smith of Dallas, Deborah Smith Douglas of Santa Fe, N.M., and Randall Thomas
Smith of Walnut Creek, Calif.; and five grandchildren.
