Walter L. Smola, 88, of Huntsville, Ohio, passed away peacefully on Friday, June 27, 2025, in Logan Acres Care Center, Bellefontaine.
He was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana on May 26, 1937, the son of the late Stanley O. and Olga J. (Wiedelman) Smola.
On May 26, 1986, he married the former Carol Ann Jennings Kauffman in Las Vegas, Nevada, and she survives in Huntsville, Ohio.
He is also survived by a daughter, Victoria Stowe, a granddaughter, Angela Stowe, and a grandson, Tristan Stowe, all of Sebring, Florida and several stepchildren too.
Walter began working for International Harvester in Fort Wayne and then relocated to Ohio when they built the new plant in Springfield. He worked in assembly for 42 ½ years until his retirement. He belonged to the U.A.W. Local #402 in Springfield. He enjoyed auto racing, starting out watching midgets and sprint car racing on dirt tracks around eastern Indiana and Western Ohio including Eldora Speedway. Later in life, he enjoyed watching NASCAR.
Private burial will be in Covington Memorial Gardens, Fort Wayne, Indiana, next to his parents.
Memorial contributions may be made to First Lutheran Church, 208 W Sandusky Ave, Bellefontaine, OH 43311.
EICHHOLTZ & DARING FUNERAL HOME, & CREMATION CENTER, BELLEFONTAINE, is honored to serve the Smola family and encourages anyone to share a fond memory or message of condolence at www.edsfh.com
TFD
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
321 N Main Street, Bellefontaine, OH 43311
Memories and condolences can be left on the obituary at the funeral home website.
Donate in Memory
Make a donation in memory of your loved one.
Add photos
Share their life with photo memories.
Plant trees
Honor them by planting trees in their memory.
Follow this page
Get email updates whenever changes are made.
Send flowers
Consider sending flowers.
Share this page
Invite other friends and family to visit the page.
The nightly ceremony in Washington, D.C. will be dedicated in honor of your loved one on the day of your choosing.
Read moreWhat kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative?
Read moreWe'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time.
Read moreIf you’re in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist.
Read moreLegacy's Linnea Crowther discusses how families talk about causes of death in the obituaries they write.
Read moreThey're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel.
Read moreYou may find these well-written obituary examples helpful as you write about your own family.
Read moreThese free blank templates make writing an obituary faster and easier.
Read moreSome basic help and starters when you have to write a tribute to someone you love.
Read more