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Thomas J. Smith was born in Fort Worth, Texas on August 28, 1920 and died Sunday morning, April 21, 2002 in Albuquerque, NM. To his family and early friends, he was known as Jimmy. He married Ruby Ellen Scott on April 1, 1938 in Weatherford, Texas. He had a variety of jobs early in life including several stints working for his father at his restaurant, the Paris Coffee Shop in Fort Worth. In June 1939, their daughter, Patricia Ann was born. That same year he joined the National Guard, was mobilized in January 1941, and sent to Camp Bowie, Texas as a mess sergeant. He was discharged in May 1941, and worked as a draftsman in an architectural firm in Fort Worth. In September 1941, he was hired by the Army Corps of Engineers and went to Gatesville, Texas where he made maps of the area for Fort Hood, Texas and negotiated with the landowners for the land required to build Fort Hood. He was in charge of relocating the cemeteries in that area to accommodate the army base. In 1943, he was sent to Alaska by the Corps of Engineers where he was in charge of security during the construction of the ALCAN Highway. In 1944, he became a police officer with the Fort Worth, Texas police department and eventually was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. In 1950, he became a Special Agent of the FBI and was sent to San Diego, California for his first office. At that time his fellow agents began calling him"Tom" and that was how he was known the rest of his career. In June 1951, he was transferred to the Albuquerque office where he served for nine years. During that period, their son, David Marshall, was born in October 1953. In June 1960, he received an assignment to the Army Language School in Monterrey, California to study Albanian. Following his graduation from that school in 1961, he was assigned to the Espionage Division of the New York City FBI office and served there three years. In 1964, he was transferred to FBI Headquarters and was assigned to the Intelligence Division. He served as a supervisor and number one man in the Latin American Section. He was chief of the Research Section and was later promoted to Inspector and assigned as Deputy Assistant Director of the Intelligence Division. During his assignment as Inspector and Deputy Assistant Director he appeared before various Congressional Hearings related to FBI Operations. In 1974, he was the U.S. Delegate to the NATO Special Committee in Brussels, Belgium. He retired from the FBI in October 1974 and he and his wife moved back to Albuquerque in 1975. He was an active member of the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI and he helped found and served two years as president of the local chapter of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO). He also belonged to the Association of Central Intelligence Corps Veterans (ACICV). From 1976 to 1984 he was chief of security for the New Mexico State Fair racing division. During his spare time, he became his wife's assistant in her doll making business. He developed a special line of paints she used on her porcelain bisque antique reproduction dolls. He was the body man and helped in doll repair operations and assisted in transporting, displaying and photographing the many dolls that Ruby Ellen made for various doll shows and sales. Tom was predeceased by his parents, Gregory K. and Pauleen E. Smith; and his brother, William. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Ruby Ellen; his daughter, Patricia Wood and her husband, Don; son, David M. Smith and wife, Fran; his only granddaughter, Paula L High; brothers, Paul Smith (Dorothy), Robert E. Smith (Bess), T. David Smith, Greg Smith and Mike Smith (Ginger); cousin, Betty Jean Wright (Jack). He also had numerous nieces and nephews and so many wonderful and special friends. His family expresses thanks to the caring staff at Health South Rehabilitation Hospital and the wonderful nurses and physicians at the MICU and Neurosurgery ICU at UNM Hospital. Friends are invited to French Mortuary at 10500 Lomas Blvd, for viewing on Tuesday evening from 6:00 p.m. to 8 p.m. Funeral Services will be Wednesday, April 24, 2002 at 11:00 a.m. at French Mortuary, 10500 Lomas Blvd., with entombment to follow at Sunset Memorial Park Mausoleum. The family requests in lieu of flowers, that donations be made to the Alzheimer's Association of New Mexico, or a charity of your choice.
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