1963
Jonathan
2024
Jonathan Smith
December 13, 1963 — June 7, 2024
Jonathan Conroy Smith was born on December 13
th
, 1963, in the city of Toledo, Ohio. He was the first-born child to John Smith, who was a minister, and Helen Smith, a schoolteacher and soon to teach on the college level.
Jonathan, at an early age, always had the fascination of learning the history of the bible and eventually began reading to develop a deep understanding and knowledge. He gave his heart to the Lord at 9 years old. Jonathan was baptized by his father, Pastor John Smith. Being a Pastor's son, he had the opportunity to live in several different cities as his father led different churches. Those cities included Toledo, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington DC, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Ohio, Scottsbluff Nebraska, and Denver.
Jonathan adapted much of the same skill sets that both of his parent's possessed; teaching to the hearing impaired and evangelizing to family members and friends about the bible and religion.
Jonathan graduated from Greenhills High School in Cincinnati and received a degree from Andrews University in Media Technology in 1985. While trying to get a career going in the media technology field, he also had a passion of learning sign language for the hearing impaired. Jonathan attained his teacher certification for the deaf in 1988 and then earned his master's degree in Deaf Education at "The" Ohio State University in 1990. He obtained his first job in Scottsbluff, Nebraska as an Outreach Consultant for the Hearing-Impaired Nebraska Department of Education and eventually that led to teaching middle school in deaf education with The Denver Public Schools.
While living in Nebraska he found the love of his life Alice Haan, and they were married in March of 2001. Since Jonathan didn't have children of his own, he loved Alice's 4 children so much that he raised them as his own.
Jonathan developed a keen interest in hunting while living out in the far western panhandle of Nebraska. He hunted everything from deer, elk, and pheasant. His younger brother Jerrud nicknamed him, "The Black Grizzly Adams."
In the last decade, Jonathan returned to Columbus to help take care of his mother, while helping his father. He even helped care for his father in his last days. During this time, Jonathan developed health issues of his own. After his father's death, he decided to move to Chillicothe. This is where his mother Helen was born and raised. There were two small homes on a property left in a trust that he began rebuilding. While living in Chillicothe, he developed such friendships, such as Shane McGraw and The Chillicothe Seventh-Day Adventist church members. I remember Jonathan saying it was one of the friendliest churches he had ever attended.
Prior to his death, he would ramp up his teachings about the bible to his brother Jerrud and friends that it is time to prepare because God is coming back soon. On June 7 th , God told Jonathan it is time to get your rest until His return. Your work is done on this earth by touching people's lives and being a light in the community. Your death was very sudden, and it had an impact on us all, but we know that we wait for the great trumpet to sound and looking forward to the day that we'll all be caught up in the sky to meet Him.
Jonathan was preceded in death by: Etta Banks George (Grandmother), Monroe George (Grandfather), John Smith (father), Helen George Smith (mother), Nephew Antoine Smith.
He is survived by: Jerrud Smith (brother), Janet Smith (sister), Justin Smith (nephew), Lauren Smith (niece), Alice Smith (ex-wife), Joseph Knouse, (stepson), Orin Knouse, (stepson), Megan Knouse (stepdaughter), and Joshua Knouse (stepson).
The family would like to thank the following: Chillicothe Seventh-Day Adventist Church and Pastor Ron Anderson, Allen Gibson, Penny Green, Keith "Buzz" Locklear, Susie Locklear, Shane McGraw, and Robin Jones.
A Celebration of Jonathan's life will be held at the Chillicothe Seventh Day Adventist Church, 510 Metzger Ave., Chillicothe on Sunday, June 23 rd , 2024 at 12:00 noon. The family will receive friends at the church starting at 11:00am.
Jonathan, at an early age, always had the fascination of learning the history of the bible and eventually began reading to develop a deep understanding and knowledge. He gave his heart to the Lord at 9 years old. Jonathan was baptized by his father, Pastor John Smith. Being a Pastor's son, he had the opportunity to live in several different cities as his father led different churches. Those cities included Toledo, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington DC, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Ohio, Scottsbluff Nebraska, and Denver.
Jonathan adapted much of the same skill sets that both of his parent's possessed; teaching to the hearing impaired and evangelizing to family members and friends about the bible and religion.
Jonathan graduated from Greenhills High School in Cincinnati and received a degree from Andrews University in Media Technology in 1985. While trying to get a career going in the media technology field, he also had a passion of learning sign language for the hearing impaired. Jonathan attained his teacher certification for the deaf in 1988 and then earned his master's degree in Deaf Education at "The" Ohio State University in 1990. He obtained his first job in Scottsbluff, Nebraska as an Outreach Consultant for the Hearing-Impaired Nebraska Department of Education and eventually that led to teaching middle school in deaf education with The Denver Public Schools.
While living in Nebraska he found the love of his life Alice Haan, and they were married in March of 2001. Since Jonathan didn't have children of his own, he loved Alice's 4 children so much that he raised them as his own.
Jonathan developed a keen interest in hunting while living out in the far western panhandle of Nebraska. He hunted everything from deer, elk, and pheasant. His younger brother Jerrud nicknamed him, "The Black Grizzly Adams."
In the last decade, Jonathan returned to Columbus to help take care of his mother, while helping his father. He even helped care for his father in his last days. During this time, Jonathan developed health issues of his own. After his father's death, he decided to move to Chillicothe. This is where his mother Helen was born and raised. There were two small homes on a property left in a trust that he began rebuilding. While living in Chillicothe, he developed such friendships, such as Shane McGraw and The Chillicothe Seventh-Day Adventist church members. I remember Jonathan saying it was one of the friendliest churches he had ever attended.
Prior to his death, he would ramp up his teachings about the bible to his brother Jerrud and friends that it is time to prepare because God is coming back soon. On June 7 th , God told Jonathan it is time to get your rest until His return. Your work is done on this earth by touching people's lives and being a light in the community. Your death was very sudden, and it had an impact on us all, but we know that we wait for the great trumpet to sound and looking forward to the day that we'll all be caught up in the sky to meet Him.
Jonathan was preceded in death by: Etta Banks George (Grandmother), Monroe George (Grandfather), John Smith (father), Helen George Smith (mother), Nephew Antoine Smith.
He is survived by: Jerrud Smith (brother), Janet Smith (sister), Justin Smith (nephew), Lauren Smith (niece), Alice Smith (ex-wife), Joseph Knouse, (stepson), Orin Knouse, (stepson), Megan Knouse (stepdaughter), and Joshua Knouse (stepson).
The family would like to thank the following: Chillicothe Seventh-Day Adventist Church and Pastor Ron Anderson, Allen Gibson, Penny Green, Keith "Buzz" Locklear, Susie Locklear, Shane McGraw, and Robin Jones.
A Celebration of Jonathan's life will be held at the Chillicothe Seventh Day Adventist Church, 510 Metzger Ave., Chillicothe on Sunday, June 23 rd , 2024 at 12:00 noon. The family will receive friends at the church starting at 11:00am.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Jonathan Smith, please visit our flower store.
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