Harold B. Smith

Obituary – Harold B. Smith Harold Benjamin Smith, affectionately known as “Hal” or “Codge”, formerly of Broadalbin, passed away peacefully at his home in Dunnellon, Florida on January 9, 2021, at age 91. Hal was born at home in 1929 to Earl and Flora Smith in Broadalbin, NY, the youngest of three children and graduated from Broadalbin Central School in 1947. His primary aptitudes were math and sports and he was a gifted, natural athlete, excelling especially at basketball. Hal was recruited to play football at Alabama as a tackle, based on his size, skill and agility, despite never having played football. Throughout his life, he possessed the ability to pick up an unfamiliar sport and, with steady practice, excel at it. Codge relished beating guys who were twenty plus years younger at racquetball. He enjoyed swimming and sailing, and golfed into his mid-80s, winning several tournaments in his retirement community. Codge also excelled at chess and bridge. With the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, he joined the Army and served honorably in the Signal Corps at Ft. Meade, MD. Hal served as Best Man at the wedding of his older brother, Don, to Helen Yovcheff, where he met the bride’s younger sister, Marilyn, who was the Maid of Honor. They later wed in 1953 and remained happily married until her death in 1994. The double marriage between the families made for a very loving and happy family life for both families. Hal attended Bentley College in Boston, MA, where he graduated with an accounting degree in 1955. He initially was employed at St. Regis Corporation in New York City, later moving to Kalamazoo, MI and Carthage, NY. It was at St. Regis, in the late 1950s, that he was introduced to computers. He gradually shifted from accounting to computer programming on mainframe computers, serving at General Electric in Utica, NY, before moving to Mohasco Corp. in Amsterdam, NY in 1964, where he served until his retirement in 1988. His computer languages included Fortran, Cobol, and Assembler. He often said programming was never “work” for him – it was play - like solving puzzles. He was adept at troubleshooting programs, identifying glitches in coding and eliminating numerous lines of code, thus improving efficiency and running times. In all things, he displayed his natural discipline necessary to do a good job. Mr. Smith was a Master Mason at the Kennyetto Lodge, and served as an Elder and Trustee at the First Presbyterian Church, in Broadalbin. He and Marilyn later moved to Kennesaw, GA with Mohasco, before retiring to Florida. After Marilyn’s death, he married Jean Ragnoli in 1997, settling in Dunnellon, FL. They remained happily together until his death. His later years were spent golfing, swimming, and traveling. Survivors include his wife, Jeanie Smith; two children, Scott (Tara) Smith of West Hebron, NY, and Cynthia (Tom) McLoughlin of Park City, UT; five grandchildren, Elizabeth, Benjamin, and Olivia Smith, and Lauren and Connor McLoughlin; and several nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held on Sunday, June 27, 2021 at 2 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church of Broadalbin, 54 West Main St. Broadalbin, NY with Rev. Linda Martin, officiating. A military graveside service will follow at Broadalbin-Mayfield Rural Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the ALS Association or the American Cancer Society in c/o the funeral home. Local arrangements are by the Robert M. Halgas Funeral Home, Inc. 111 County Highway 106 Johnstown, NY 12095.

Harold B. Smith

February 9, 1929 - January 9, 2021

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Harold B. Smith

February 9, 1929 - January 9, 2021

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Flowers & Gifts

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