Craven E. Smith, 65, Rt. 4, Delphi, died at 4:01 p.m. Wednesday, May 1, at St. Elizabeth Hospital, Lafayette.  He had been a patient for five weeks.

  He was born December 4, 1919 in Delphi, the son of Fred Craven and Eunice Gardner Smith.  His marriage was April 4, 1959 to Ann Howarth in Indianapolis.  She survives.

  Mr. Smith was a 1938 graduate of Delphi High School.  He attended Kent State and Purdue Universities and graduated from Purdue in 1942.  He attended the I.U. Medical School for one year and then returned to Delphi to assist his father in farming.

  For several years he worked for General Telephone.  He attended Northern Illinois College of Optometry receiving a degree of Doctor of Optometry in 1950.  Mr. Smith lived in Indianapolis 1955-1960 and had several ventures in the optometric field.  In 1962 he became employed by Purdue University in the Chemistry Department from which he retired in 1981 as Building Deputy for the two chemistry buildings.

  After retirement, Mr. Smith continued to serve and work with the Alumni Safety Committee of the Purdue Grand Prix, having been on that committee for several years.  As a tribute, this year's running of the Purdue Grand Prix was dedicated to Mr. Smith.

  He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, where he served as a deacon, the Junto Club and the Purdue Alumni Association.

  Survivors in addition to his wife include one sister, Mrs. William (Betty) Wilkinson, Bakersfield, California, several nieces and nephews.

  Services were held on Saturday at the Horn Funeral Home.  Burial was in Masonic Cemetery.  Memorial contributions may be made to the Diabetes Foundation or the Heart Fund.

Obituary notice taken from the Carroll County Comet, Wednesday, May 8, 1985