Obituary of Carl Reginald Smith

Age 95, of Windsor, died Friday, September 13, 2024 in Hants Community Hospital, Windsor. He was the youngest son of the late Herbert Forshay and Minnie Gertrude (Morgan) Smith.

Chook was predeceased by two sisters and four brothers. As much as we mourn his passing, we also celebrate his life with us as a wonderful family man, neighbour, sportsman and friend. His life was a long and fulfilling one, He was the beloved husband of Elizabeth (Brittain) for 70 years and loving father of Brent (Heather), Suzanne (Virginia), Leslie (Kevin), Stephanie (Don) and Natalie (Chris). Chook’s grandchildren, Dylan, Logan, Hannah, Nathan, Madeleine and Elijah, brought great joy to his life and he lived to welcome three great-grandchildren into the family.

He loved family gatherings in Windsor, at the Halifax Jazz Festival, at his children’s homes and in Sandy Cove, where for thirty summers friends and family joined together for washer toss, croquet, gin and tonics in “Chook’s Nook,” scallop suppers, family band concerts, garden parties, crokinole matches and spirited card games long into the night.   

Hockey was Chook’s next great love. His passion for the game was inspiring. For many decades, Chook was described by sportswriter Burton Russell as a smooth-skating and prolific left-winger turned defenseman who thrilled hometown fans with uncanny scoring ability. “Chook Smith Night” at the Windsor Arena in 1976 honoured his career athletic achievements. One of the highlights of this career was his 1963-64 season with the Windsor Maple Leafs, who were inducted into the Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame in 1990. Chook was also an Honoured Inductee to the Birthplace of Hockey Hall of Fame in 1993. Of Chook’s many awards for his skill on the ice, his most prized were those recognizing his sportsmanship.

Chook loved to travel across Canada and abroad on family trips and made friends wherever he went. He delighted in seeing Coley’s Point, Newfoundland, where his mother was born, EXPO ’67 in Montreal, the Prairies and the Rocky Mountains, Sproat Lake in BC, Champlain’s birthplace in France, the streets of Pompeii, war cemeteries in Belgium and the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. He loved meeting people along the way as much as he enjoyed the sights.

His legacy to us is an unwavering commitment to community, delight in meeting people and making connections, a great sense of fun and full-hearted generosity towards others. We will all miss him every day.

Arrangements for cremation have been entrusted to DeMont Family Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 419 Albert St., Windsor (902-798-8317), where the family will receive visitors 2-4 and 6-8 p.m., Tuesday, September 17. A service to celebrate Chook’s life will be held 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, September 18 in DeMont Family Funeral Home Chapel. A reception will follow in the funeral home’s Elmcroft Reception Centre. Burial will follow in Maplewood Cemetery, Windsor. In lieu of flowers, anyone who wishes to make a donation in Chook’s memory can do so in support of the Windsor Hockey Heritage Society, C/O President Krista Lloy, PO Box 2444, Windsor, NS B0N 2T0 or Hants Community Hospital Foundation, 89 Payzant Dr., Windsor, NS B0N 2T0. Messages of condolence may be sent to the family by visiting: www.demontfamilyfuneralhome.ca