FRANKLIN SMITH

Beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, Frank Smith passed away Aug. 24 at age 89.

An Antelope Valley resident for 60 years, Frank worked in the aerospace industry for more than 30 years, starting with North American Aviation on the XB-70 Valkyrie bomber and ultimately retiring as a designer for General Electric Aircraft Engines.

After retirement, Frank enjoyed traveling the world with his wife, Dorothy, visiting 34 countries on five continents. Dorothy passed away in December 2020 after nearly 63 years of marriage.

Frank passed away surrounded by family at the Palmdale home of his eldest daughter, where he and Dorothy moved shortly before her death.

Frank was a member of Saint Junipero Serra Parish in Quartz Hill since 1991, and of Saint Mary's Parish in Palmdale from 1963 to 1991. He became a member of the Knights of Columbus Catholic fraternal organization in 1967 and took his Fourth Degree in 2000.

Born July 20, 1934, in Bakersfield, California as the youngest of 11 children of John and Marie Smith, Frank grew up on an Indiana farm and worked in his family's restaurant as a boy. After graduating from high school, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps. While stationed at Quantico Marine Base, he was introduced through a friend to his future wife, who was working in Washington D.C. for the Department of the Navy.

Frank and Dorothy married Feb. 11, 1956. With daughter Regina, son Scott and daughter Natalie, they moved to Southern California in 1962.

Son Eric was born two years later in Lancaster.

Frank is survived by children Regina (Charles) Bostwick of Palmdale, Scott (Christy) Smith of Lancaster, Natalie (Thomas) Muth of Lancaster, and Eric (Hope) Smith of Post Falls, Idaho; grandchildren Emily Bostwick, Jonathan (Maureen) Bostwick, Clara (Alvaro) Berrios, Christopher (Lindsay) Bostwick, Adam (Ruth) Muth, Allison (Todd) Bruno, Kathryn (Taka) Wada, Kyle Smith, Tyler (Kim) Smith, Abigayle Smith and Faith Smith; great-grandchildren Zaidee Smith, Ember Smith, Lily Bostwick, Jack Bostwick, Fiona Bostwick, Finn Bostwick, Avery Bruno, Isla Bruno, Ace Bruno, Alexander Muth and Layla Muth, and sister Muriel Monroe of Hobart, Indiana.

Funeral Mass will be said at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12 at Saint Junipero Serra Catholic Church, preceded by recitation of the rosary at 9:30 a.m. Burial will follow in Good Shepherd Cemetery in Quartz Hill.