Wilfred T.”Fat” Smith, 81, of Seneca, KS, died Tuesday, November 21, 2000, at Crestview Manor care home in Seneca.

He was born July 25, 1919, in Seneca, the son of John J. and Elizabeth Gunther Smith. He grew up in Seneca and attended the Blue Star School and Sts. Peter & Paul School. He worked for Nemaha County in the Roads Department.

On September 22, 1944, he entered the U.S. Army at Fort Leavenworth and served in the 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Division in the South Pacific. He was wounded in action twice in the Philippines and needed a steel plate in his head as a result of his wounds. He received two purple hearts. He was discharged on April 12, 1946, as a staff sergeant, and returned to Seneca.

On February 4, 1939, he married Marie H. Rosengarten in Topeka. They lived in Seneca and celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1989. She preceded him in death on July 2, 1991.

He worked at the Farmer’s Elevator in Seneca before going to work for the Seneca Wholesale for 35 years. “Fat,” as he ws known, first drove a beer truck and later became a salesman at Seneca Wholesale until his retirement in 1981. For 10 years after his retirement, he still drove part-time. He also worked for the automobile dealerships in Seneca driving cars to Seneca from car auctions. “Fat” also drove many people from Seneca to Topeka for doctor appointments.

He was a member of Sts. Peter & Paul Church, the St. Joseph Society at the church, the Earle W. Taylor Post #21 of the American Legion, and a lifetime member of the Seneca Memorial Post #7458 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, all in Seneca.

Survivors are a son, Donald E. Smith of Liberty, MO; a brother, Virgil Smith of Hemet, CA; and three sisters, Cleta Thompson and Gerry Howard, both of Las Vegas, NV, and Patricia Toney of San Diego, CA.

Mass of Christian burial will be 1:30 PM Saturday at Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Seneca. Burial will be in the church cemetery, with full military honors by the Seneca American Legion and VFW. A prayer service will be held at 7 PM Friday at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca.

Memorials may be given for Sts. Peter & Paul Church, and sent in care of the family.