Cecil and Martha Smith
Some people desire to make a location a better place because they have lived there their whole lives. For Cecil and Martha Smith, it was a little different. They moved to Washington County as adults, but still dedicated their time, energy and passions to Washington County.
Martha Spanyer was born to Margaret and Joseph Spanyer on July 27, 1936. The eighth of ten children, Martha grew up in Louisville, Kentucky. She did on-the-job training for radiology at St. Joseph’s Infirmary in Louisville and was affiliated with Nazareth College (now Spalding University). Prior to moving to Salem, Martha worked at the Louisville hospital for ten years before joining the Salem hospital where she worked for 39 years as an x-ray technician.
Cecil Smith was born on November 14, 1938 to Dr. Cecil J. and Helen Fitzsimmons Smith and was the youngest of three boys. He spent his early years in Pasadena, California and at San Juan Capistrano Beach. At age 13, Cecil and his family moved to the St. Louis area, where he went on to attend Flatrock Junior College and University of Missouri to study business. During the summer after his junior year, Cecil worked with the local newspaper and quickly realized journalism was his true passion. In 1961, Cecil was drafted into the U.S. Army where he was trained as a photographer and served at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
In 1962, Martha’s brother, Jerry Spanyer, met Cecil in the army, and brought him home one weekend where he met Martha. The two would later go on to marry on January 12, 1963 in Louisville, Kentucky. When Cecil was discharged from the army in December 1963, they moved to Missouri where they welcomed their two daughters, Jennifer and Sharon, and after moving to Salem, their sons John and Paul were born. All four of their children graduated from Purdue University.
In 1965, Cecil took the job of editor of the Salem Leader and Salem Democrat newspapers and the family moved to Salem. Cecil shared his life and family stories through his weekly column, The Dripping Faucet. If there was an event, accident or celebration in Washington County, you were bound to see Cecil there behind the camera, photographing each moment to share with the community. Martha was also involved in various community organizations, including volunteering at the Salem Library bookstore for years. Martha also hosts “Grandma’s Sewing Camp” every summer for her granddaughters to create sewing projects for 4-H. For nearly 25 years, Martha has guided 9 granddaughters to sew beautiful pieces including everything from purses to prom dresses, with several projects making it to the Indiana State Fair. Additionally, she served as a CCD teacher for 11 years at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church where the family is a member. Cecil was also involved in the church, where he served in multiple capacities including Eucharistic Lay Minister, a Reader, a Parish Council Member and most recently a Greeter.
Cecil’s love for model trains and railroad equipment started at a young age, and he collected various items in a private museum for many years. He donated much of his collection to start The Depot Museum at the John Hay Center in Salem. From the opening in 2001, he led a mostly volunteer team to expand and improve the museum, and enjoyed serving as volunteer stationmaster for 18 years. Martha supported Cecil in all of the Depot activities, volunteering to prepare and serve meals at Old Settlers Days, Annual Open House, Christmas programs, and parties to honor the many volunteers. She always accompanied him to the annual Monon Society Conventions where they met and made many lifelong friends.
Cecil was also involved in various organizations. He served on the Salem tree board, parks and recreation board, the economic development commission and the urban enterprise association board. He was a past president of the Indiana Democratic Editorial Association, past president of the Salem Rotary Club, a Kentucky Colonel, and a member of the American Legion. In 2010, he was named Citizen of the Year by the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, and Volunteer of the Year by the Washington County Historical Society.
Martha and Cecil and their family have always been advocates and supporters of the work being done in Washington County to promote community growth, education, resources and more. They were thrilled to share their love of Washington County with others around the world. As a member of the Rotary International organization, the family hosted seven exchange students: girls from Mexico, Ecuador, and India, and two girls from Australia, as well as one boy from Japan and one from Germany.
In December 2020, Cecil passed away from COVID-19 after a seven-year battle with Parkinson's disease. In honor of his legacy, the family has established an endowment that will help fund the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in Washington County. When deciding to support the Imagination Library, Martha wanted to share their love of reading with others. Cecil and Martha have always been avid readers and they hope to encourage others to enjoy good books through the Imagination Library starting at a young age. The Dolly Parton Imagination Library is a program where children aged newborn to five years old can sign up to receive one free book every month. With this endowment from Cecil and Martha, the program can continue to serve children in Washington County.
