Lansing Taylor Smith, III, 96, joined his wife, Carolyn in the presence of God on Thursday, December 28, 2017, a month short of his 97th birthday. Lansing was born January 26, 1921 in Huntsville, AL to Lansing Taylor Smith Jr. and Annalee Edwards Smith. After growing up in North Hill he graduated from Pensacola High School then attended Auburn University (WDE!). After serving two years from 1945 to 1947 in the U.S. Army (82nd Airborne Division) during WW2, Lansing completed his studies at Auburn and graduated with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering. Upon graduation Lansing took a position with General Electric in New Jersey working on the B-51 bomber project. There he met and married Carolyn Linson in April of 1948.
Soon after their wedding GE transferred Lansing to California where their first child, Dale, was born in March of 1949. Five months after their son's birth Lansing and Carolyn moved to his home town where he took a position as a civil engineer for the Navy at NAS Pensacola. In Pensacola two more children followed, Lansing Taylor, IV and Christine DeEtte.
Lansing retired in 1976. In addition to golfing three days a week, his retirement years were filled with volunteer work in the aircraft restoration shop at the Naval Aviation Museum and in the pursuit of his many and varied hobbies and interests. In the latter part of his forty one years of retirement, when eyesight failed and activities became fewer, he continued to be an avid reader devouring hundreds of books on tape. He was a long time member of McIlwain Presbyterian Church.
Lansing was preceded in death by his wife, Carolyn in 2012.

He is survived by his sons, Dale L. Smith (Anne Miller Smith) of Fort Worth, TX and Lansing Taylor Smith, IV of Pensacola; his daughter, Christine Smith Segers (Bud) of Pensacola; 9 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.
Graveside services will be held at Bayview Memorial Park on Saturday, December 30, 2017 at 3:00pm with Rev. Clif Wilcox officiating.
In lieu of flowers the family invites you to make a donation to the church or charity of your choice.