Please take “A Pittance of Time” to remember the sacrifices of those who have sacrificed so much for their Country.

I’ve tried for the last five hours to put into words what it means to a Veteran when other Americans show their support, but I couldn’t give the topic justice. While Veterans might say it was their privilege to serve their Country, and no thanks is necessary, it is still appreciated.

I can’t tell you how much it meant to me when normal everyday Americans stood up and clapped for our plane full of Soldiers going back over to the Middle East (It is just like the commercial). I can’t tell you how moved I am every time I hear a young child recite the Pledge of Allegiance. I can’t tell you the how much I respect the Scouts who volunteers to play Taps at the burial of a Veteran. I can’t tell you how moved I am by seeing Scouts place flags at headstones. I can’t tell you how much your support means to me, a simple Soldier, just doing his job.

Please keep supporting our Nation’s Veterans, it does make a difference.

While he was not a Scout, he was a member of my Unit in Afghanistan, Cpl. Bernard Corpuz, you will not be forgotten.

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On Saturday October 25, 2008, Frederick County’s oldest Eagle Scout, Joseph J. Davis, Sr., passed away at age 96. “Uncle Joe” was a lifetime Boy Scout, having entered the Scouting program in 1924 at age 12 in Troop 39 of Manchester, NY and served as a volunteer and professional until his death – over 84 years later. Along the way he received many rewards and honors. He earned his Eagle Scout badge in 1928 and had it presented to him by James E. West, Scouting’s first national Scout Executive. He was awarded the District Award of Merit, the Silver Beaver Award and, appropriately enough, the James E. West Award. Additionally he was only the second man in Frederick County to be awarded the Distinguished Eagle Award. His last Scouting honor was the Silver Sage award from the Philmont Staff Association.

Joe first came to Frederick County in 1935 upon his graduation from Cornell University with a Bachelor’s degree in Forestry. He worked with the Civilian Conservation Corps for three years in the Frederick Watershed area. It was while working for the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), that Joe met and married the former Viola Rice who predeceased him in 1981. He subsequently moved to the Garrett County CCC projects where he and Viola had their son Jack who predeceased his father in August of this year. Joe was also predeceased by his father, John Davis, mother Lena Nader Davis and his sister Mary Davis.

In 1943, Joe left the CCCs and began to work with the Boy Scouts of America in Philadelphia. After Philadelphia, he was transferred to Washington, D.C., then Roanoke VA, Chicago, and, finally, his ultimate assignment as Director of Camping at Philmont, the BSA’s 130,000 acre ranch near Cimarron, New Mexico. He retired to Frederick in 1976 and has been active with the Boy Scouts, the Association for the Advancement of Retired People, Meals on Wheels, the Literacy Council and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Frederick.

He is survived by two grandsons; Sean Davis of Denver, CO and Keith Davis of Oakland, CA and a Great-granddaughter, Alyssa Davis of Mandeville, Louisiana. In addition he leaves several nieces and a nephew: Linda Sundergill, Allen Wachter, Johnna Lee Kennedy and Gerry Ann Houck of Frederick, as well as Yvonne Magaha and Charles “Buddy” May both in Florida. He also is survived by his God-daughter Betty Ross of New York State.

In Lieu of Flowers:
The family has requested that donations be made in Joe’s name to:

The Frederick County Boy Scouts of America Friends of Scouting campaign
Checks for the Boy Scouts should be made to “BSA-NCAC” and sent care of
Linda Sundergill, 7015 Sundays Lane, Frederick, Maryland 21702

OR

The Evangelical Lutheran Church Building Miracles Capital Campaign
Checks for ELC should be sent directly to the Church at:
31 E. Church St., Frederick, MD 21701

Memorial Services:
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Evangelical Lutheran Church
Frederick, Maryland
10:00 AM

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Dr. William H. Smith, 88, of Katonah, died on October 22, 2008. Dr. Smith (“Doc”) was born in New York City on December 16, 1919 and was raised in Cold Spring, New York.

He attended the University of Rochester School of Medicine and interned in pediatrics at the University of Chicago and the University of Pennsylvania. During WWII he served in the Army in the medical corps. In 1950 he settled in Katonah to work as the first pediatrician at the newly formed Katonah Medical Group. He practiced with the group for 40 years and was the long-time Katonah-Lewisboro School district physician, a job he continued for years after retirement from the medical group.

An interest in scouting led to his role as Scoutmaster of Katonah Troop #1, BSA, a position he held for the past 52 years. During those years he attended national and international jamborees, hiked miles of trails including some in the Swiss Alps, was a leader and mentor to thousands of boys and guided 63 of his scouts to the rank of Eagle.

Doc was a longtime member of the Northeast Westchester Rotary Club where he held the office of Sergeant at Arms and was a past recipient of the club’s Stan Schaefer Award. He was a fixture at the club’s fundraisers and rarely missed meetings even when away from his home club. Doc was a member of the Katonah United Methodist Church where he often played his harmonica during services.

Doc loved spending time at his camp on Lovewell Pond in Fryeburg, Maine and especially looked forward to the yearly canoe trip on the Saco River with the scout troop. Known for his unique sense of humor, quirky sayings, extemporaneous poetry and harmonica serenades, he will be greatly missed by generations of patients, scouts and friends.

A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, November 1 at the Katonah United Methodist Church at 11 AM. In lieu of flowers, donations in Dr. Smith’s memory may be made to the William H. Smith Memorial Fund, 171 Bedford Rd., Katonah, NY 10536.

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