John "Jack" Smith

John “Jack” Smith of Atoka passed away on Monday, July 29, 2019.  Jack was born in Detroit MI January 25, 1941.  He joined the U. S. Navy in 1958 and retired at NAS Millington as a Senior Chief Petty Officer in 1977.  He joined a Defense Contractor in Memphis as a Technical Writer soon after retiring, then was transferred to Orlando Fl. in 1981, where he retired in 2006 as the Vice President of Undersea Programs.  While in Florida, he started a children’s charity, Cruisers for Kids, which donates 100% to Make a Wish Foundation. After that he and his wife Joan returned to Tipton County.  Jack served as the Atoka TN Santa Claus for several years and was Santa at the Pink Palace in Memphis for five years until poor health necessitated his final retirement. He is survived by his wife Joan, daughter Gwendolyn Smith Davis of Winter Springs Fl. (Richard), son Scott Smith of Memphis TN (Patty), daughter Karen Smith Maldonado of Brea CA (Ed), six Grandchildren and two Great-grandchildren. There will be a Rosary Service at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church in Covington on Friday, August 9 at 7 p.m. with a funeral Mass the following afternoon, Saturday, August 10 at 1 p.m., also at the church.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to either Make a Wish Foundation at www.wish.org/donate or the St Jude Children’s Research Hospital at www.stjude.org/donate. Cremation services are under the direction of Covington Funeral Home.