Posted on 03/05/2019
Dorothea Kolongis (Dottie) Smith age 93 of Ocala, passed away on February 26, 2019. Dottie was born in Dover, NH on January 14, 1926. She attended the University of New Hampshire, then graduated from Wentworth School of Nursing before joining the U.S. Navy in 1955. She served for two years at the Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland, attaining the rank of Lt. jg. Dottie served at Subic Bay in the Philippines from 1957-58, then transferred to Yokusko, Japan from 1958-59 as administrator in the Labor/Delivery section. Her next station was the Charleston Naval Base in Charleston, SC from 1960-62, as Lt. Commander. The Navy provided Dottie with the opportunity to travel. She spent time in South America, Spain, Portugal, European countries, and Far Eastern countries.
In 1963, she was assigned to the Annapolis Naval Hospital, and it was there that she met Lt. John Ward (Jack) Smith who was assigned to the Physical Education Department. They were married in the Naval Academy Chapel on February 8, 1964. When Jack was transferred to Rota, Spain, Dottie opted to leave the Service to raise their family. They spent the next 10 years in Spain, Maryland, and Hawaii before settling in Fairfax, VA in 1975. In 1995, they moved to Ocala, FL to enjoy their retirement at Golden Hills. Dottie was active in Golden Hills, playing golf and tennis and socializing with the other members. She was an amazing cook, a loyal friend, and the life of any party!
She is survived by her husband of 55 years, Jack; her two daughters, Constance (Lupe) of Navarre, FL and Kimberly (Jim) of Greenville, SC; and her granddaughters, Morgan and Caroline Stuart of Greenville, SC.
She will be interred at the U.S. Naval Academy with Military Honors.
Published in Ocala Star-Banner from Mar. 5 to Mar. 6, 2019