William Baxter Smith (Bill)

April 27, 1948 – March 14, 2026

William Baxter Smith, affectionately known as Bill, of Deltona, Florida, passed away peacefully on March 14, 2026, at the age of 77. Born on April 27, 1948, in Mount Clemens, Michigan, he was the fourth of seven children born to the late Robert Charles Smith and Elizabeth (Baxter) Smith.

Bill is survived by his wife, Patricia (Sansone) Smith; his sisters, Barbara (Bob) Allen, Judy Marinko and Sue (Mike) Balysh; his brother, Tom (Cathy) Smith; his sons, Hudsen Smith and Reid Smith, both of DeLand, Florida; and seven cherished grandchildren. Bill was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 49 years, Georgiann (Kirby) Smith, brother Bob Smith and sister Sandy Thompson.

A man of deep and abiding faith, Bill served the Lord faithfully for more than 50 years as a deacon, evangelist, and dedicated participant in homeless outreach and Sunday school ministries. He possessed a genuine heart for one-on-one evangelism and took great joy in sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others.

After honorably serving four years in the United States Army, Bill earned an engineering degree and began a long career as a skilled machinist. He first worked at Ford Motor Company in Detroit, Michigan, before retiring from Lockheed Martin after 15 years of dedicated service.

Bill was an avid bowler and runner who completed 17 marathons across the country. He was a proud founding member of the Lake Monroe Road Killers running club. Those who knew him will fondly remember his wonderful sense of humor and the funny, impromptu songs he would create on the spot to bring smiles and laughter to family and friends.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 28, 2026, at Identity Church, 777 Deltona Blvd., Deltona, FL 32725.