SMALL, Herschel E. - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

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 his 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.   --typed by Walt W