Berdell O. Smith, 84, of Ft. Wayne died Thursday July 16, 2009 at Lutheran Hospital, with his wife, Barbara, daughter Susan and grand daughter Joanna present.Born April 26, 1925, he was the sonofthe late Dean Berdell Smith and Velma Adelia(Mennewisch) Smith. A native of Ft. Wayne he was a member of Emmaus Lutheran Church, and he was a Manufacturing Engineer at G. E. for 43 yrs. and winnung many awards and teaching several instructional classes. He was an avid four season sportsman with rabbit hunting topping the list with his own good brace of 2 13" beagles that he raised and trained. His Favorite hunting partners were his son, Martin and 3 grandsons, Erich, Ross, and Christopher. During WW II, he was drafted after he graduated from Central High School, Ft. Wayne, in 1943. He went to Great Lakes Naval Training Station at Navy Pier in Chicago. He attended gunnery school in Jacksonville, FL then was sent to Hutchinson KS and was assigned to the newly redesigned 4 engine PB4Y2 privateer airplane, in Squadron VPB124, withan 11 man crew. On all his flights, he manned one of six machine gun turrets built on the outside of their plane for protection. He experienced one direct hit on his turret. He had bloody shrapnel wounds but survived and returned to duty within a few days. Upon return to the States he used his G.I. Bill of Rights Schooling by entering and graduating from Ft. Wayne G.E.'s own Tool and Die Making School. He was proud to be a member of G.E.'s Tool & Die Apprentice Alumni Club all these years. In 1952, he also graduated from a 30 month correspondence "Modern Business" program from Alexander Hamilton Institute. His grades were very high. He has received many awards from G.E. which have been framed and are on the walls of his den, such as the heavy cast plate "G.E. 100", from 1878 to 1978. "Progress for People", awarded in recognition of outstanding achievement during the G.E. Centennial year, he had taught classes to select employees. He also took great pride in his sucess of learning to receive and send for years fast Morse Code for the traffic net of American Radio Relay League and International net Control in the 9th R.N. District.They have assigned times for operators to relay messages around the country and world in case of National Disasters when phone lines are down. He was also a member of the Central High School Alumni. Surviving are his wife, Barbara LaMar Smith, of Ft. Wayne; daughte Susan Elaine Smith-Braden; son, Martin (Amanda) Dean Smith of Churubusco; grandchildren, Annemarie (James) Smith-Cooper, Erich (Amelia) Martin Smith, Joanna Louise Smith, Ross(Jill) Manning Smith, and Christopher David Braden; great-grandchildren, James Pershing Cooper IV, Issac Andrew Smith, Kilah Gene Smith, Ethan Erich Smith, Martin Dean Smith II, Gaven Michael Braden, and Ashlynn Rose Geiger. He was preceded in death by his daughter Nancy Ellen Smith. Funeral Service is Noon Monday at Covington Memorial Funeral Home with calling 2 hours prior. Burial is in Lindenwood Cemetery, Ft. Wayne. In lieu of flowers the family's Preferred Memorial is to The National Juvenile Diabetes Foundation in care of great grandaughter Kilah Gene Smith.For ease and simplicity in ordering floral arrangements online, from the comfort and convenience of your home or office, please visit our website at www.memorygardensfloral.com. Numerous photographs for you to browse and a price range for every budget. This is a local floral ordering service and is under the complete direction and supervision of the staff at Covington Memorial Gardens and Funeral Home.