William Corbett Smith's Obituary
Memorial Services for William Corbett Smith will be held at Marian Chapel of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, 2929 McCracken Avenue, Muskegon, MI on Thursday, December 28, 2006 with Visitation beginning at 10:00 AM followed by the Funeral Mass at 11:00 AM. Interment will take place at St. Mary’s Cemetery.
William Corbett Smith, age 58, passed away Tuesday, October 31, 2006 at Brookhaven Medical Care Facility. He was born October 12, 1948 in Stambaugh, Michigan to Robert and Katherine Smith.
He received his B.A. degree in Arts and Literature from the University of Michigan in 1970 where he graduated with high distinction and highest honors in Philosophy. He received his PhD. In Philosophy from Princeton University in 1975, following which he taught Philosophy at the University of California, Santa Barbara for seven years.
Interested in exploring a new field of education, Bill enrolled in Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, where he received his B.S., M.S. and PhD. all in Electrical Engineering in 1991. He was a member of Tau Beta Phi and Phi Kappa Phi (an honorary electrical engineering society).
In 1988, Dr. Jerome K. Delson, a former professor of Bill’s, invited Bill and Xiaoming Fen got form a partnership under the title “Applied Analytical Associates”, among the first to develop a program that would operate on a personal computer for electrical power utilities to calculate “Unit Commitment and Dispatch” – previously, such a program could only operate on a mainframe computer. For the first few years of the partnership, they worked for a utility in Omaha, Nebraska and then Bill and Dr. Delson began working for Municipal Light & Power in Anchorage, Alaska and continued to do so until Bill’s accident, November 4, 2004.
Surviving include his parents, Robert and Katherine Smith of Norton Shores; sister, Ginny Sprague, (F. Remington, M.D.); nephews, Robert Sprague, M.D. (Maura), Stephen Sprague (Crystal); Thomas Sprague, and niece Erin Sprague; aunt Patricia Pierson (Robert) and uncles, Kennth Smith (Patricia), Richard Smith (Beverly); and many cousins.
Memorial Contributions may be directed to: The Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry, 1095 Third St., or the Muskegon County Catholic Education Foundation, 1145 W. Laketon Ave.
Arrangements handled by
The Walburn Chapel
Sytsema Funeral Homes, Inc.
1547 W. Sherman Blvd.
(231)759-8565
Sign the guest book on-line at www.sytsemafh.com
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