Floyd E. “Bud” Smith, age 87 of Clinton, passed away Saturday, December 11, 2022 at this home. In following Bud’s wishes cremation rites will be accorded. Private graveside services will be held. A Celebration of Life will be held from 2:00 to 4:00 pm on Saturday, December 17th with sharing of memories at 3:00 pm at the Pape Funeral Home.
Floyd was born May 17, 1935 in Savanna, IL. He was the youngest of four children born to Elmer and Lillian (Mummert) Smith. After eight years of schooling in a one-room country School, Floyd graduated from Mt. Carroll High School in 1954. During his high school years, he played basketball and excelled at high jumping and was the Illinois State High School champion in 1953. The sports editor of the Clinton Herald newspaper gave him the nickname of “Flying Floyd”.
He then attended Illinois State Teachers College at DeKalb, Illinois where he set the college high jump record and was rankled #2 in the United States. He had the best legal high jump in the world for 3 months in 1957. After college, he continued to high jump with the Chicago Track Club and later with the Seniors Masters Track circuit. In 1955 he married Charleen Lawlor in Clinton. They are the parents of Gregory (Karen), Jeffrey (Myndi), Timothy, Anthony, Elizabeth, and Amy Smith. Together, Floyd and Charleen traveled the world to compete in the Masters Meets meeting and maintaining relationships with many of the athletes they met.
Floyd worked 12 years at Clinton Corn Processing Company and 29 years at Chemplex as a Process Control Technician. For 25 years he was a volunteer basketball coach and gym teacher at Sacred Heart School and later a basketball coach at St. Mary’s Grade School. In the 1980’s Floyd was President of the Carroll County Illinois Genealogy Society. He was also a Hospice volunteer for ten years and received special recognition for the many lives that he touched. Floyd enjoyed creating conversations with whomever he met. He attended church and enjoyed singing solos and duets with his son, Greg.
Preceding Floyd in death was his wife Charleen; his parents; a son Jeffrey; a daughter, Elizabeth; a brother, Clyde and 2 sisters, Dorothy Rogers and Darlene Kaufman. He is also survived by 16 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren. In lieu of flower memorials may be made to Genesis Hospice. Online condolences may be left at www.papefh.com.
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My deepest sympathy to the Smith family. I got to know your Dad/Grandpa as he volunteered at all the Clinton High home track meets (both girls and boys) whenever his swing shift allowed. How AMAZING that Bud Smith, the fellow running off the high jump event had held the World Record! Bud was so pleasant to visit with and always had a big smile for me. He was most professional in running off the high jump event. And, Bud was also patient as he often had to wait for the girls/boys to run their race and rest before taking their next jump. What a “joy” it was to have him volunteering at our meets!
Tony – sorry to read of your dad’s passing. I write primarily as a classmate of yours at the high school and do so knowing you’ve lost both your parents in the span on less than a year. Looks like you have a big family to celebrate your dad’s life while comforting one another in this new phase of your lives where your folks are deceased, yet together in Heaven. Here’s to better days ahead.
I am sorry to hear of your dad’s passing. I graduated with Jeff. My mom was a nurse with your mom and had taken care of your dad in 1975. I was lucky to work with your dad when I worked at the library and he was working on his family history. You were blessed with wonderful parents, you can cherish those memories.
Thoughts and prayers with all of you at this time.
Bud was a fascinating man. I first met him when I was right out of high school and we both were high jumping at the Prairie State Games at Augustana College, back in 1997. He was an inspiration to say the least. I worked for the Clinton Schools and would run into him occasionally at meets or around town and always enjoyed talking with him. His stories were unreal and he lived an amazing life. Our Pastor just talked about Wilt Chamberlain high jumping this last Sunday as part of the sermon. I went home and sent him an article about Bud jumping against him that he thought was pretty neat. I was shocked when I read about Bud’s passing early this week and I want to pass on my sincere sympathies to his family. May the Lord be with you during this time of sorrow.