Thousands paid their last respects to an old fashioned cop, a Vietnam veteran and an “uncommon man” Tuesday at Shelton High School.
Sgt. Orville Smith received full military honors at his funeral, which was attended by police officers, firefighters, veterans and community members who represented the different loves of Smith’s life.
“He loved his job, his community and his country,” Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti said. “Today the city of Shelton has lost a great friend.”
Speakers at the funeral recalled Smith’s experience in the U.S. Marines and as a Shelton Police Officer for 39 years.
“This, in my mind, represents the very best America has to offer,” Lauretti said of Smith’s service.
Smith died on July 7, after being hit by an alleged drunk driver on July 3 while directing traffic on a private duty job.
Smith’s death has left a void for many local police officers and people living in Shelton.
Smith, or ‘Smitty,’ was a staple at events such as summer concert series and at local eateries such as Pagliaro’s in Huntington.
He was a long-time volunteer at the White Hills fire company in Shelton.
His friends recalled him as a man who would do anything for you, a person who loved his country.
“He was one of the bravest guys I’ve ever met,” Shelton Police Chief Joel Hurliman said during the funeral. “He wasn’t afraid of anything, except maybe retirement.”
Procession
The funeral procession began in downtown Shelton, and a motorcade led by dozens of police motorcycles brought Smith along Shelton Avenue to Meadow Street.
From there, a marching procession began up Meadow Street to the high school. A color guard led, uniformed members of Shelton’s various fire department companies marched slowly behind, and Shelton police officers walked alongside the hearse, touching white gloved hands to the windows.
At the bottom of the high school driveway, the procession met up with bagpipers, who led the march to a slow steady drum beat.
Click play on the video above to see the procession.
The Service
Smith’s mourners packed the auditorium at Shelton High School, and overflowed into the gymnasium, where a video of the service was fed live to a large screen.
The Rev. Enock Yatri, of First United Methodist Church in Ansonia, officiated the service, comparing death to a new birth into “a world unknown and much bigger.”
The mood in the auditorium was solemn.
Three of Smith’s family members thanked the supporters and recalled Smith’s life through tears.
“He firmly believed in his heart that a country worth living in was worth defending,” Rob Carpp said about Smith’s service in Vietnam for the U.S. Marines.
“Smitty was an ‘uncommon man,’” Carpp said. “He exemplified all that is good on several levels.”
Memorial Fund
A memorial fund has been established by Smith’s family to honor the police officer’s memory.
Money deposited into the “Sgt. Smith Memorial Special Account” will be used to purchase police equipment for the department, as per the family’s request.
Checks to support the fund should be made out to the “Sgt. Smith Memorial Special Account.”
Checks can be mailed to the Shelton Police Department, 85 Wheeler St., Shelton, CT 06484.
