William "Bill" Thomas Smith, 82, an executive known for business solutions and corporate restructuring, passed away Friday, August 11, 2023, surrounded by his immediate family in his Tomball, Texas home.

Bill was born June 24, 1941, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the youngest of four and only son of Thomas and Anne Taylor Smith. During his formative years, Bill delivered bread for his family's Scottish bakery, however, he would often make pitstops at the local baseball field to play with friends. An avid sportsman, Bill played for a NY Rangers farm team in the early 1960s and was later Captain of the Erie Lions semi-professional hockey team where his teammates called him "Wild Bill" because of his speed and versatility on the ice. He continued skating for decades, ran several marathons in the US and Canada, and spent countless days on the golf course.

The sportsmanship that carried through his athletic endeavors greatly influenced his fair and generous nature in both his business and personal life. Bill is remembered by many as a true gentleman who always had a smile on his face. He was caring, authentic, hardworking, and resilient through life's changes and challenges.

In 1964, Bill married Doreen Ibbotson of Fergus, Ontario, they left Canada, and began their married and professional lives together in Erie, PA. As Bill's career took off in the agricultural equipment industry, they made many moves between Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, and Canada. Bill held managerial and executive positions focused on business improvement and restructuring with Bucyrus-Erie, Massey Ferguson, White Farm, CASE, and International Harvester. In 1986, Bill moved from agricultural equipment to office equipment, working for Savin Corporation in Stamford, Connecticut where he ultimately served as CEO and Chairman of the Board.

As dedicated as he was to his career, Bill was equally dedicated to his family. Bill, Doreen, and their two children especially enjoyed beach vacations with Marco Island, FL and Aruba being their favorite places to return and relax together. Bill enjoyed his retirement years in Marco Island, FL and later nearby his children and grandchildren in Downingtown, PA, and Tomball, TX. When he wasn't landscaping his beautiful yard or solving a puzzle, he enjoyed golf, movie, and dinner dates with the love of his life, Doreen.

Surviving Bill are his wife of nearly 59 years, Doreen Ibbotson Smith, son Steve Smith (Jennifer) of Lititz, PA, daughter Shelly Smith Mark (Steven) of The Woodlands, TX, granddaughters Ashley Smith Lipko (Steven) and Rebecca Mark, grandson Reagan Mark, and eldest sister Elizabeth "Betty" Little.

The family will hold a private memorial before Bill is later laid to rest in Fergus, Ontario, Canada. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Bill's memory to MDS Foundation ( mds-foundation.org ), American Heart Association ( heart.org ), or Hockey Canada Foundation ( hockeycanada.ca ).