On March 8, 2021, Carl Dewayne Smith of Venice, Florida, passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by his wife, children and grandchildren.
Carl was born on Dec. 2, 1940, in Cold Springs, Oklahoma, and grew up in the small, rural town of Snyder, Oklahoma. Carl played football and basketball in high school, and was the captain of his football team. He graduated from high school in 1959, and joined the U.S. Army in 1960. He was honorably discharged in 1963 with the rank of sergeant. Carl was a proud Vietnam veteran. He flew an American flag outside his home and wore a flag pin on his shirt pocket daily.