Lyle Smith's Obituary
Lyle Edwin Smith Lyle E. Smith was born January 18, 1927 to Hazel Myrtle (Brooks) and Edward Robert Smith. He graduated from Lincoln High School, class of 1944, and served in the US Army Cavalry Division from 1944-6. He attended Washington State College from 1946-1948, studying Police Administration. He married his beloved Madelyne Esther Palmer August 28, 1948. Their marriage lasted 57 years until her death in 2005. His son Scott was born in 1950 and his daughter Janet in 1952. Lyle joined the Tacoma Police Department as a patrol officer in 1948. He graduated from the FBI National Academy in 1958 and from the University of Puget Sound in 1976 with a Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Sociology. He was promoted through the ranks until he was appointed Chief of Police in 1970. He retired from the police department in 1976. He was elected Sheriff of Pierce County in 1979 and retired from that position in January of 1984. He served as Assistant to the Pierce County Executive Booth Gardner from February to December of 1984. Gov. Gardner appointed Lyle to the State of Washington Horse Racing Commission. Lyle was a commissioner from 1985 to 1993, serving as chair of that body in 1987. Lyle loved to fish and camp. He and Madelyne packed son Scott and daughter Janet into the station wagon as many weekends as they could, and for every vacation, to head for the woods or the beach. They fished for trout, salmon, tuna, smelt, and crawdads - anything edible from the water. They dug clams and geoducks and both stood in hip waders to stalk the elusive steelhead. In the early 70's they headed north to Alaska on the Al-Can Highway with friends Wally and Mary Seymour and their sons, their campers loaded with spare tires and canned meat and preserves. Dad's prized possessions were always his boat, his camper, and his fishing rod, and he had several of each over the years. Dear friends Wally and Mary Seymour and their family, Don and Virginia Horr, and Russ and Janet Richardson were among Lyle and Madelyne's treasured camping and fishing companions. After retiring from the police force, Lyle and Madelyne purchased acreage and built a home in Graham. Surrounded by woods and somewhat secluded, Lyle gardened in raised beds and built a little greenhouse, enjoyed the deer and other wildlife, and stoked the woodstove of a chilly evening. The couple enjoyed birds and animals, and always had suet, seed and hummingbird nectar in feeders visible from the family room. They lived there until 2002, when they moved to a smaller home in Puyallup. Lyle and Madelyne enjoyed travel. They loved the years with the horseracing commission, visiting all the little Washington racetracks now gone forever. They cruised all over the world. They went deep-sea fishing off the coast of Mexico. They traveled to Arizona to see Mariners' Spring Training with Scott, Janet, and her husband Henry. The two couples traveled together to France, Mexico, the Baltic, Hawaii, Reno, Las Vegas, and around the Mediterranean. Lyle and Madelyne were ideal travelling companions. They were always ready to participate, and relished sharing the day's adventures over the evening meal. After Madelyne died in 2005, Janet and Henry moved from their home in Oregon to the Smith's home in Puyallup, and Lyle moved to Willow Gardens Retirement Center. He enjoyed his meals in the main building there and lived independently in his cottage until very recently. Lyle took to heart the adage 'actions speak louder than words.' He was soft spoken and reserved - until he sensed injustice or unfairness. Then he would be adamant, forceful and sometimes painfully direct. He was intolerant of sub-standard performance or anything but the highest level of ethical behavior. His reserve extended to spiritual matters - he rarely if ever spoke about his faith. Yet he quietly insisted that grace be said at family meals, and clearly approved of Janet and Henry's involvement in church, and Janet's recent service on the Board of Directors of the Tacoma-Pierce County Chaplaincy. Lyle was influential in the establishment and support of chaplains serving the Police and Sheriff's Department personnel and the victims of accidents or violent crimes. He and Madelyne provided financial support for this ministry long after he retired from law enforcement. Their legacy includes two permanent endowments of $100, 000 each, one for scholarships for Pierce County residents whose parents or grandparents serve law enforcement or for students who intend to study for law enforcement-related careers, the other for the support of Chaplaincy programs. Both will be administered through the Tacoma-Pierce County Chaplaincy. Dad is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Janet and Henry Nielsen, by four stepbrothers, Mills, Mike, Dave and Russ Brubaker, by two sisters-in-law, Cleo Palmer and Aileen Palmer, and by cousins and nephews and their spouses, and their children and grandchildren. His son, Scott, died in 1999, and his wife, Madelyne, in 2005. Janet and Henry Nielsen wish to thank especially Carol Chaussee, Tom Seymour, and the wonderful people at Heartwood Extended Care Center for their extraordinary kindnesses to us and to Dad. We have been supported as well by the Tacoma Police Department and the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, and the many fellow officers who loved and respected Lyle Smith. The memorial service for Lyle E. Smith will be Monday, December 10, 2007, beginning at 11:00 AM, at First Baptist Church of Lakewood, 5400 112th St. West, Lakewood, WA, 98499. At the reception afterward, there will be an open mike for sharing stories and memories. In lieu of flowers, remembrances can be made to the Tacoma-Pierce County Chaplaincy, P. O. Box 65048, University Place, WA 98464, for either the Lyle and Madelyne Smith Scholarship Fund or the Lyle and Madelyne Smith Chaplaincy Support Fund, or to the charity of your choice. Please sign online guestbook at www.mountainviewtacoma.com
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