Br. Gary Eugene Smith

Gary  Eugene Smith was born on July 7, 1944, in Union City, Pennsylvania, the son  of Harold Eugene and Martha (Gilson) Smith.   He was one of three sons born to Harold and Martha.  Gary attended Union City Grade School and  Union City High School and after working for several years after graduation  on April 1, 1965, he entered the Brothers of St. Pius X in La Crosse,  Wisconsin.  A year later he made his  Novitiate at De Soto, Wisconsin, and remained at the Novitiate as a staff  support member for nine years.  In 1974  he received permission to begin course work at the University of Wisconsin at  Colby, Wisconsin.  During the following  three years he earned two degrees, a B.A. in Religious Studies, and a B.A. in  Social Studies from Siena Heights College in Adrian Michigan.  In 1978 he taught grades 6, 7, and 8 at St.  John’s School in Marshfield, Wisconsin.    The following year Gary made the decision to transfer to the Christian  Brothers and began his high teaching career at Pacelli High School in Stevens  Point Wisconsin.  He remained there  until 1985 when he made a Novitiate in St. Paul.  In 1986 he was assigned to Shanley High  School in Fargo, North Dakota.  After  three years there he was assigned as Guestmaster at Dunrovin Retreat Center  for a year before returning to Pacelli High School in 1990 where he taught  religion and served as Assistant Principal.   In 1997 Gary was assigned to Roncalli high School in Manitowoc,  Wisconsin, where he taught religion and served as the Religion Department  chairman.  He died there on Christmas Eve  2011.  He was sixty-seven years old at  the time of his death and had been a Brother of St. Pius X for 20 years and a  De La Salle Christian Brother for twenty-six years.