Thomas J. Smith was born in Shanghai, china, on April 22, 1919, the son of a Eurasian mother and American father. He passed away on February 24, 2013, in Ventura, Calif., after a full and happy and interesting life.
When he was six years old hid mother died and he moved into the home of Augusto dos Remedios where he was raised as one of the family. He graduated from St. Francis Xavier School in Shanghai and went to work for Oliveira and Sons, a firm importing German and American farm machinery into China.
When one of the sons of the Remedios family, Antonio, married Julia Oliveira, uncle Tom became one of their family, interacting with them and their children throughout the remainder of his life.
He left China in 1956, and came to the United States. After working in the garment industry for a few years, he eventually went to work for Western Airlines, retiring from that company after a long and successful work experience. He lived for several years in Burbank, and in the 1990's he moved to Mira Vista in Camarillo, where he spent many happy years and made many good friends.
He was an avid reader, and a lifelong bridge player. He was a friendly, loyal, affable, loving man with many friends. He loved to tell stories about life and was particularly thrilled when he became Godfather to one of his grandnephews who was named after him.
He spent the last four years of his life in Ventura amongst family. He will be missed by his nieces and nephews, Benita and Ronald Colitti, Antonia and Tony Colitti, Peter and Heather Remedios, Rigo and Terry Jesu, Verna Jesu, Donny Jesu and Anthony Jesu; and his many grandnephews and nieces. He was loved.
The funeral mass will be held on Saturday, March 16, 2013, at 11 o'clock at Assumption Church in Ventura. Interment services will be held later and will be private.