Obituary of G. Paul Smeyak

G. Paul Smeyak died on Tuesday, September 23, after a short illness. A resident of St. Augustine, FL, he spent wonderful months at the family farm in Mogadore each year. A graduate of Lakewood High School, Lakewood, OH; he served in the U.S. Army from 1958 - 1961 with a year of duty in Korea and ending at Ft. Devons, Massachusetts where he played on the Army Hockey team. He obtained a BFA from Ohio University and a MA and a PhD in International Communications from The Ohio State University. Paul started his broadcast career at small radio stations in the Columbus area becoming a television news writer and anchor with WSEE in Erie, PA. He was a news producer at multiple television stations including WBNS, Columbus, and enjoyed two summers at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL as a faculty researcher. Entering the academic world, Dr. Smeyak began teaching at Eastern Kentucky University, moving to North Texas State University, Kansas University, becoming Chair of Telecommunication at the University of Florida where he spent 18 years and completing his career as Director of the School of Journalism at Oklahoma State University. He loved ocean activities becoming an accomplished scuba diver and sailor giving his family awesome experiences in the islands and keys off Florida. An avid reader; he also was an author and editor of several textbooks and college newspapers. A Paul Harris Fellow with Rotary International, he served on the international scholarship committee and was a Salvation Army board member. His latest passion was found in a wonderful blueberry patch that he tended daily. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Sylvia "Corky" Powers Smeyak (Suffield), son Stephen Milan Smeyak, daughter-in-law Krissy Pfleider Smeyak and adored granddaughter Mira; sister Marcia Smeyak Rohweder of Chagrin Falls, nieces Cathy Rohweder (great nephew, Simon); Christine Rohweder Schumacher (John). He will be especially grieved by the men in the family who looked up to him as a brother/ mentor/friend including Milan Powers, N. Scott Novell, Mark Novell, Michael McNally, Ernie Biermann, and Philip Hodanbosi. A memorial service will be held at the Anthony Funeral Home KUCKO-ANTHONY-KERTESZ CHAPEL, 1990 S. Main Street, Akron on Saturday, September 27, 2014 at 3:30 PM, where the family will receive friends for one hour prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Rotary International Scholarship fund. Scholarship donation forms will be made available through the funeral home. (Anthony Funeral Homes, AKRON, 330.928.1313, anthonyfh.com)