Leroy Raymond Smith

Roy Smith died peacefully Feb. 16, 2015, in Portland. He was born Sept. 12, 1916, in Milwaukie, the youngest of eight children of Birney and Lodosca Smith. Roy graduated from Portland's Franklin High School in 1935, and attended the Northwest School of Commerce. He worked at the SP&S Railway for a short time and then took and passed the Civil Service exam. This led him to his first job with the Federal Government, a fingerprint classifier with the FBI in Washington, D.C, working on two prominent kidnapping cases. During this time, he maintained contact with the love of his life, Peggy Grubbs, who was still in Portland. In 1938, Peggy took the train to Washington and they were married Nov. 19, 1938. In 1939, Roy went to work for the newly formed Wage and Hour Division that was opening offices on the West Coast. He first went to Seattle where the twins, Don and Donna, were born. He then transferred to Eugene where daughter, Judy, was born and eventually to Portland. In 1952, he started with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, which is where he worked tirelessly until his retirement from the Federal Government in 1972. He did not stay retired for long. He began his second career as a well-respected private mediator and arbitrated over 600 cases before he fully retired in 1993. After retirement, Roy enjoyed playing golf with friends and family and he and Peggy traveled extensively. Roy was a lifelong member of the Masons and recently was presented with his 60-year award. In both his personal and professional life, Roy was known for his fairness, honesty, sincerity, patience and open-mindedness. He will be best remembered as a gentle, loving and generous husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle, great-uncle and friend. Roy was preceded in death by his seven siblings; daughter, Judy; and wife of 76 years, Peggy. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, March 2, 2015, at Wilhelm Portland Memorial Funeral Home, 6705 S.E. 14th Ave., Portland, OR 97202. In lieu of flowers, donations to cancergrace.org or to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, P.O. Box 1893, Memphis, TN 38101, would be appreciated. Service Information