Hollen Smith

Hollen C. Smith, 97, of Reynoldsville, NY died peacefully on October 22, 2015. He was born in Ithaca, NY on January 20, 1918 the eldest of five children of Mark Joseph Smith of Burdett, NY and Margaret Rea Oaks of Monmouth, Illinois. He married Marjorie Louise Dunbar, daughter of Walter Enos Dunbar and Arminda May Vroman. She preceded him in death in 1959. Three children survive: Mark of Reynoldsville, NY, Thomas (Lillian) of DuBois, PA, and Susan (Wayne Dobson) of Douglassville, PA. He married Helen Bates of Interlaken, NY, who survives. A step-son Charles Bates also survives. He is also survived by two sisters, Clara Schaeffler of Horseheads, NY and Isabelle D'Ingianni of Penn Yan, NY and a brother Seth (Elynor) Smith of Franklin, Tennessee. He was preceded in death by a brother Todd Smith of Cobleskill, NY. There are 7 grandchildren: Marjorie of Lemont, Pa., Nathan (Jessica) of North Yarmouth, Maine, Peter of Hopkinton, Mass., Sally of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Holley (McEllroy) of Reading, PA., Corrie (Mast) of Oley, PA. and Bridget (Butler) of Reading, PA. There are 9 great grandchildren. He attended kindergarten in Columbus, Ohio and then grammar school in the Town of Hector until the 9th grade and high school in Watkins Glen graduating in 1936, an excellent student. He farmed with his father for a time and then settled in 1944 at Reynoldsville, NY. He had a governmental fiber and wool assignment. He had for many years a successful farming operation with his son Mark (Reynoldsville Stock Farms) with Merino sheep, chickens (producing hatching eggs for 12 years), cattle (Holstein dairy heifers) and general farming. He loved agriculture in its many forms and enjoyed its lifestyle, using horses in the early years before tractors were commonplace. He was director of the Farmer's Reliance Insurance Company, a co-operative, for 15 years and served as Town of Hector Councilman for 26 years. He was a member of the Burdett Presbyterian Church, the Farm Bureau and the Reynoldsville Community Club. He was a great student of local history and family genealogy. A viewing will be held at the Royce-Chedzoy Funeral Home, 212 East Fourth Street, Watkins Glen, NY on Friday October 30, 2015 from 2-4 pm and 6-8 pm. The funeral service will be held at the Burdett Presbyterian Church on Saturday October 31, 2015 at 1 pm.