SMAIL, Herschel Elmer
Source: Obituary
from a collection of Fauniel Hershbarger, a
life-long Fountain County Indiana resident
Funeral services for
Herschel Elmer Smail, age 83, of 207 Fifth St., well-known Covington resident
and former New York Central Railroad crossing watchman, who died at 3:27 a.m.
Thursday, June 18, were held at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Bodine & Shelby
Funeral Home here. The Rev. Glenn Ray, pastor of the First Baptist Church,
officiated and burial was in Mt. Hope Cemetery. Mr. Smail had been in ill
health the past year and seriously ill for 10 days. He was born July 25, 1880,
at Cissna Park, Ill., the son of Henry and Mary Gray Smail. He was married to
Grace Richey, who preceded him in death. He worked on a section crew for
several years and was a watchman for the NYC crossing in Covington for 24 years
before retiring April 26, 1951. During that time he worked 1,166 consecutive
Sundays as part of his duties which included a seven-day work week. His work
week was shortened before his retirement. He then worked part time in the
insurance office of the late Harold Wilkey and later for the Shelby Insurance
Agency, both of which operated in the location now used by Sadlers Cleaners on
the south side of the square, until 1960. He was a member of the Seventh St.
Church of Christ and an avid sports fan. Mr. Smail is survived by: one
daughter, Mrs. Ruby L. Myers, with whom he made home; three grandchildren, Mrs.
Jacqueline Bean of Danville, Ill., Edward of Covington and Mark of Ft. Wayne;
five great-grandchildren; one brother, William Sherman Smail of Covington; and
one sister, Mrs. Iona McKee of Imperial, Texas. He was preceded in death by his
parents, wife, and one brother. Pallbearers were: H. Max Layton, Roy C.
Fenters, James Banta, Charles Frey, A. A. LePage and C. Frank Youngblood. – jlr