Hampton- Herbert G. Smith Jr, 74 of Hampton died on June 4, 2017 at Portsmouth Regional Hospital following a period of failing health.
Born in Malden, MA he was the son of the late Herbert G. Smith Sr. and Velia (Minervini) Smith and attended local schools, graduating from Malden High School with the class of 1960 where he excelled in sports especially baseball where he was catcher and Captain for the State Baseball Champs. He eventually overcame meningitis to play semi pro baseball in the Milwaukee Braves farm team.
He continued his lifelong passion of sports holding some of the first season tickets to the Boston Patriots when they played at Fenway Park.
Herb worked making computer circuit boards at Adage in Boston, before being asked to relocate to Portsmouth to staff Data Generals entire company and oversee the Quality Control Department.
He and his young family settled in Eliot where he would become active in the Eliot United Methodist Church teaching Sunday school and mentored many young folks along the way.
Herb and his loving wife of over fifty years Barbara ( Jones ) Smith began Smith House, a well known antique business which evolved into the globally known Smith House Toys. Herb set the standard for pricing and auctioning toys world wide, publishing the guide which many auctioneers used to price products and was used as a reference on Antiques Roadshow.
After a successful auction career he retired making his home for a time in Rochester before settling near family in Hampton, NH.
He was a Civil War enthusiast who studied Joshua Chamberlain and his role in the war. He enjoyed exploring the battlefields and bringing them to life on hand made topographic maps. He was a talented poker player with a strategic style, even inventing a casino boardgame which was enjoyed by family and friends. He loved his gardens and tending to his flowers. He was an award winning artist who loved to paint flowers, waterfowl and oceanscapes. He was an avid fifth generation duck hunter and passed it on to his son.
Herbs first love was his family, he is survived by his loving wife Barbara of Hampton, his daughters Andrea Smith and Valerie Pace, husband Robert Pace of Hampton, NH, his son Daniel Smith and his wife, Andrea of Falmouth ME. And his brothers, Craig Smith and wife Dotty of Londenderry, NH, Carl Smith and wife Nancy of Malden, MA, Victor Smith and wife Doreen of Quincy, MA and sister Patricia and husband Larry Goan of York, ME. He also leaves behind grandchildren Katelyn, Bennett, Caroline, Michael, Joseph and great-grandchild Richard Jr.
Friends are invited to visit with his family on Thursday from 6-8 pm in the JS Pelkey Funeral Home 125 Old Post Road Kittery Maine 03904. A funeral will be celebrated on Friday at 11 am in the Eliot United Methodist church followed by a time of sharing and refreshment in the church parish hall. Online condolences may be made by visiting www.jspelkeyfuneralhome.com. Donations may be made in his memory to (Maine Children's Cancer Program, 100 Campus Center Drive, Unit #7, Scarborough, ME 04074).