David Ennis Smith

“I come from a long line of cynical smart alecks.” David Ennis Smith, 76, of rural Henry County, passed away Saturday, March 15, 2025, after a brief illness perpetrated by a chronic disease. Dave is survived by his wife Jean (nee Yates); children Sean Smith and Camy Layne of Anderson, stepchildren Bob Garcia and Dan Garcia (Sarah) of Indianapolis; Kelly Garcia Reese (Lucas) of Muncie, honorary stepdaughter Abby Coffman Blattner (Ryan) of Russiaville; and 5 step-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his brother Palmer “Jake” Smith and parents Ennis and Helen Smith. Upon his graduation from North Judson High School in 1967, Dave proudly served in the U.S. Air Force as an aircraft mechanic. Many were privileged to experience Dave’s colorful accounts of his outlandish adventures on a Taiwan military base. After receiving an associate’s degree from Valparaiso Technical University, Dave spent the majority of his career as an Electronic Technician for the U.S. Postal Service in Muncie. Dave was known for his conscientiousness, workroom hijinks, and skillful whistling. Honest and dependable, Dave fiercely loved many things, including his family, friends, K&N filters, the Second Amendment, his Toyota 4 Runner, Tom Waits, and Wrangler pants. Dave had a soft spot for turtles and cats and detested squirrels and sparrows (flying rats). Famous for his blazing wit and humor, he was known for expressing his political views via slogans on baseball caps. In his later years, Dave enjoyed cruising, especially because he only had to unpack once. Upon his return, he loved entertaining folks with tales of his cruising adventures, including chatting it up with guards equipped with AK-47s in Cartagena, Colombia, and visiting a lodge on Taku glacier in Alaska, approachable only by a float plane. Cremation was entrusted to Hartzler Funeral Home in Akron, Indiana. A celebration of life will be held at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, June 29, 2025, at the Memorial Park shelter house, New Castle. As Dave prioritized sharing his experiences with others, the family encourages attendees to contribute memories and stories that honor his spirit. Memorial contributions may be given to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation at https://fundraise.givesmart.com/vf/PFFTribute/DavidSmith.

David Ennis Smith

January 21, 1949 - March 15, 2025