Hello All
Many of you on here know me mostly as "the guy from Philly." I am one of the rare non-Iowans on the board (although I know there are others) and am also one of the rare non-ISU graduates (again, I know there are some others.)
My Iowa State fandom was born with my father, Jerry Smith. Iowa State class of 1951, ROTC, Engineering major. Served in the Army. Proud member of Delta Tau Delta. Much of what you would expect from that era at ISU.
He had a fever last weekend in his nursing home...tested last Sunday, came back Tuesday as a positive for coronavirus. He passed away in his sleep early Saturday morning. He was 91.
For weeks and weeks, Covid-19 was kind of just on the news for me. I did not know anyone that had died from it - in fact, I only knew one person who was even diagnosed with it - and that was the mother of a high school friend I had not seen in over 25 years. So it all seemed so distant, and then boom - Covid comes home. With a vengeance.
Gerald Allen Smith 1928-2020. RIP. He loved his Cyclones, as do I and my daughter through what he passed on to us. I always felt he was the kind of guy that this country was built on, like many of you and your parents. We will miss him.
To you, Dad.
Many of you on here know me mostly as "the guy from Philly." I am one of the rare non-Iowans on the board (although I know there are others) and am also one of the rare non-ISU graduates (again, I know there are some others.)
My Iowa State fandom was born with my father, Jerry Smith. Iowa State class of 1951, ROTC, Engineering major. Served in the Army. Proud member of Delta Tau Delta. Much of what you would expect from that era at ISU.
He had a fever last weekend in his nursing home...tested last Sunday, came back Tuesday as a positive for coronavirus. He passed away in his sleep early Saturday morning. He was 91.
For weeks and weeks, Covid-19 was kind of just on the news for me. I did not know anyone that had died from it - in fact, I only knew one person who was even diagnosed with it - and that was the mother of a high school friend I had not seen in over 25 years. So it all seemed so distant, and then boom - Covid comes home. With a vengeance.
Gerald Allen Smith 1928-2020. RIP. He loved his Cyclones, as do I and my daughter through what he passed on to us. I always felt he was the kind of guy that this country was built on, like many of you and your parents. We will miss him.
To you, Dad.
Last edited:
