SMITH, Marion Wesley

Smith, Marion Wesley Marion Wesley Smith of Tempe, retired Professor of Vocal Music at ASU and well known Tenor soloist, passed away on December 13, 2003. He was born on July 1, 1921 to Carl E. and Lois D. Smith, in Spring Valley, Ohio where he spent his youth. Marion was attending Wilmington College in Ohio when his studies in music were interrupted by the United States' entrance into World War II. He enlisted in the US Navy and attended Officer Candidate School and pilot training at Patuxent River Naval Air Station in Maryland. He attained the rank of Lieutenant, j. g. and served as a cargo transport pilot in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters throughout the war. He returned to Ohio and completed his Bachelor of Music degree at Capital University in Columbus, where he met his future wife, Martha Pauline Straley. They were married on June 18, 1949 and began married life in Chicago, Illinois where Marion completed his Master's Degree in Voice at the American Conservatory of Music. In 1952, he was recruited to join the Music Faculty at what was then called Arizona State College, in Tempe, Arizona. He quickly became well known throughout the Valley as a gifted Tenor soloist, performing varied works including Handel's Messiah and the Verdi Requiem. He also sang the Star Spangled Banner and the ASU "Alma Mater" for the Sun Devil home games for nearly twenty years. He taught vocal music at ASU for 38 years and took great pride in the accomplishment's of his students. He was a career long member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. Marion held several Music Director positions in area churches throughout his career, and was also a regular soloist for the Diocese of Phoenix and Temple Beth Israel. During his retirement years, Marion and his wife both enjoyed singing in the choir at First United Methodist Church. Marion was a 50 year member of the Masonic Lodge and the Scottish Rite, and was Past Patron of the local Eastern Star chapter. He is survived by his wife Martha, daughters Melanie Smith of Crofton, Maryland and Michelle McCroskey of Mesa; granddaughters Kaitlyn and Jessica McCroskey also of Mesa; and his sister, Louanne Boat of Xenia, Ohio. Visitation will be on Tuesday evening, December 16th, from 6:00 - 8:00 pm at Carr-Tenney Mortuary, 2621 S. Rural Road in Tempe. Funeral Services will be held at 10:00 am on Wednesday, December 17th, at First United Methodist Church, 215 E University Drive, Tempe. In lieu of flowers, family request donations to Arizona State University School of Music for Voice Scholarship Fund In Memory of Marion W. Smith, School of Music, Arizona State University, P.O. Box 870405, Tempe, AZ, 85287. Published in the Arizona Republic on 12/16/2003.