John A. Smithers

Moline, Illinois John A. Smithers, 87, of Moline, well-known community leader, died Sunday, December 14, 2003, in his residence. A service celebrating John's life will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at First Congregational Church, Moline. The Reverend Virginia Pych will officiate. Private burial will be 11 a.m. Wednesday in Greenview Memorial Gardens, East Moline. Visitation is 4 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Trimble Funeral Home, Moline. Memorials may be made to Arrowhead Ranch or Christian Friendliness Association. John Andrew Smithers was born March 14, 1916, in South Bend, Indiana, to Hungarian parents John and Cecelia (Barany) Kovacsics, and lived his young life in nearby Elkhart, Indiana. His father worked for the New York Central Railroad. He was in the Class of 1938 at the University of Michigan where he varsity lettered in baseball and football, with no scholarships, but with two or three jobs. He was a liberal arts major and a member of the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity. John married Ruth "Peg" Allderige on June 28, 1939, in Upper Montclair, New Jersey. They lived in Detroit, Michigan, as John was employed at the Ford Motor Company in the sales department. The war years found John, a metallurgist after having studied several years in night school, working for Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Florida. After World War II he returned to Michigan as a sales-welding engineer for the Lincoln Electric Company. In 1951 John became District Manager for Lincoln Electric in the Quad Cities, covering much of Illinois and Iowa. Early in 1952 his family joined him here in this area. The New Industries of Moline and Blackhawk Industrial Development Company were started and organized by John. He was the inspiration for, and one of the founders of, the Quad Cities Graduate Center. He later became owner of Illinois-Iowa Welding Supply Company (a source of welding and industrial supplies). The company was sold and John retired in 1976, and then served as a consulting engineer. Rotary, Arrowhead Ranch Board and Moline Morning Optimists have seen John's active participation. His hobbies are gardening, sports and watching sports, and reading. He was a avid University of Michigan Alumnus. John is survived by his wife of 64 years, Peg; four children, Jenny Wennekes of Spain, and Celia Venable, Geoff Smithers, and Steve Smithers, all of Moline; six grandchildren, Scott Hodge, Bradley Hodge, Katherine Venable, Stephen Venable, Jeannie Wallquist, and Jacob Smithers; and three great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters. Remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family at www.TrimbleFuneralHomes.com. END OF OBITUARY