Howard A. Smentkowski

Howard Allen Smentkowski of Cordova, MD, died at home on September 30, 2014. He was 81. Born November 4, 1932, at Tallyville, DE, to Theodore and Victoria Smentkowski of Wilmington, DE. Howard began working at age 14 making deliveries on his bicycle for a dentist. At 17, he worked the midnight shift at a gas station. After graduating in 1950 from Howard Fletcher Brown Technical School, he worked at a GM plant, and later went to work at Delaware Power & Light. In 1952, he enlisted in the Army and spent 16 weeks in tank training at Fort Knox, KY. He was later assigned to 12 weeks of Army Photo Intelligence Interpretation at Junction City, KS, after which he was sent to Korea and served with the 7th Division Headquarters Intelligence Unit as a Photo Interpreter and occasionally as an Air Observer. He was promoted to Staff Sergeant and received the Army Commendation Medal for meritorious service in Korea. He witnessed the repatriation of U.S. soldiers after hostilities, and was honorably discharged in May 1954. Howard went to work at the Department of Agriculture in Washington, DC, as a Cartographic Aide and then transferred to the Army Map Service, then to the Navy Photo Reconnaissance Center. While living and working in DC, he met his wife to be Shirley Elizabeth Wilson of Highland, MD. They married at St. Louis Roman Catholic Church in Clarksville, MD, on August 27, 1955, and moved to Maryland. Both continued to work for the government. Over the next 5 ½ years they had four children. During his career he furthered his education by attending night classes at George Washington University, working toward a degree in Geodetic and Cartographic Sciences. When the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) was formed in 1963, Howard transferred to that agency as Branch Head of the Amphibious Objective Studies, and later became Chief of the Naval Force Section where he participated in briefings at the Pentagon and attended National Senior Intelligence Studies, Executive Management Seminars, a Ballistic Missile Staff Course, Cryptology for Senior Defense Officers, Senior Intelligence School, and the Nuclear Weapons Advance Orientation Course. His career was highlighted by his specific contribution to the Intelligence Community in the first artist’s concept of the construction of the first Soviet aircraft carrier. Howard retired from DIA in 1979 as a Supervisory Intelligence Research Specialist. Howard and Shirley moved to their mountain farm in Flintstone, MD, in 1981. In 1994, they moved to Kent Island, MD, where they enjoyed fishing and crabbing. After Hurricane Isabel hit the island, they moved to Cordova, MD, in 2004. Howard enjoyed his family, pets, farming, gardening, fishing, boating, crabbing, horseshoes, hunting, and traveling. He and Shirley, and their dogs, traveled in their motor home to every state except Hawaii. They drove twice to Alaska and enjoyed sightseeing and salmon fishing, and canned their catch to bring home. They also toured parts of Europe. Howard was a member of the Kent Island American Legion Post 278 and served as Chaplain for 1 year. He was an active member of the Kent Island Elks Lodge #2576 and served as Trustee, House Committee Chairman, Lounge Manager, and Treasurer and was awarded plaques of recognition form the Elks for his years of service. He won Championship several times in the Elk’s Horseshoe Leagues. Proceeding Howard in death were his parents, Victoria and Theodore Smentkowski, and brothers, Theodore Roberts and Eugene Smentkowski of Delaware. He is survived by his wife, Shirley, of 59 years; four children Rodney and wife Tracey of Wellsville, PA; Linda Moran and spouse Michael of Crownsville, MD; Stanley and wife Theresa of Lothian, MD; and Howard and wife Margaret of Shady Side, MD; 11 grandchildren, Stephanie, Stanley, and Allen Smentkowski of PA, Erin Flynn, Michael and Stephan Moran, all of MD, Jamie Smentkowski of GA, Ryan and Ashley Smentkowski of PA, Stacie Beesley of VA, Jessica Mowrey of TX; four great-grandsons, Hayden and Liam Mowrey of TX, Landon and Ashby Flynn of MD, sister-in-law, Patricia Roberts; nephew, Paul Smentkowski; cousins, Anthony Czerwinski, Justine Cushing, and Theresa Manelski of DE, William Szymanski of NC, and David Szymanski of PA. Friends may call at Fellows, Helfenbein & Newnam Funeral Home, 106 Shamrock Road, Chester, MD, on Sunday, October 5, 2014, from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. with a memorial service by the Kent Island Elks Lodge #2576. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, October 6, 2014, at noon, at Sts. Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church, 1210 S. Washington Street, Easton, MD 21601. Interment to follow at the Eastern Shore Veterans Cemetery of Maryland, 6827 East New Market Ellwood Rd, Hurlock, MD 21643. Memorial donations may be made to the Talbot Humane Society, 7894 Ocean Gateway, Easton, MD 21601, or the Disabled American Veterans, P.O. Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45350.

Howard A. Smentkowski

November 4, 1932 - September 30, 2014