Richard B. "Dick" Smith, 97, of Maineville, OH, passed away peacefully on Friday, October 14 ^th , 2022 at his residence, surrounded by his children. Born on March 19 ^th , 1925 to Paul and Jessie (nee: Carter) Smith in Kansas City, MO.  A Navy veteran, he worked for General Electric in the jet engines and aircraft engines businesses for 44 years. His career spanned multiple eras at GE including the Right Stuff era at Edwards Air Force Base in California as a flight test engineer, followed by marketing and management positions at GE Evendale, including engines for helicopters, business jets, large commercial aircraft and the launch of the massively successful franco-American CFM-56 family of engines.

He was inducted into the GE Jet Propulsion Hall of Fame in 1991. For his work on the CFM-56 joint venture, the French government awarded him the Order of Merit in 1986.

Dick had a unique ability to make friends, often at first meeting. He kept friends as far back as college and Naval ROTC at the University of California, Berkeley in the mid-1940s at GE, Kenwood, Indian Hill and Lebanon. Well-traveled, he maintained friendships until the end of his life in the US, France and around the world. As a friend, he was always solid, cheerful and trustworthy.

Preceded in death by his parents, his first wife, Anne Smith, his second wife, Eileen "Bini" Smith and his third wife, Anna Smith.

He is survived by his two sons, Paul (Celeste) Smith of Franklin, TN, Bruce (Susan) Smith of Kannapolis, NC, his two daughters, Joanne (Reed) Vordenberg of Bloomfield Hills, MI and Leslie (Larry) Gray of Taos, NM, eight grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren and good friends Vicky Evans and Jeff and Monet Lewis.

Visitation, Tuesday, October 18 ^th , 2022 from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm with a service beginning at 12:30 pm all at the Oswald-Hoskins Funeral Home, Lebanon. Interment will follow in Lebanon Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Lebanon Food Pantry.