FIRE DEPARTMENT REMEMBERS CHIEF; FAMILY, FORMER COUNTY CO-WORKERS HONOR OFFICIAL.

Byline: Sylvia L. Oliande Daily News Staff Writer

Retired Ventura County Fire Department Battalion Chief Val Smith was remembered Tuesday as a man devoted to his career, his family and his fellow firefighters.

Two fire engines - one modern and one vintage - and two smaller fire trucks were parked outside the Simi Valley Community Church as hundreds of friends, family and uniformed firefighters gathered inside for Smith's funeral service.

Members of Smith's family said they knew the Arkansas native remained friendly with firefighters. But most didn't know until after his death Friday, just how much Smith was respected and loved.

``The part that surprised me was how many people cared about him,'' said granddaughter Sandy Bakken. ``To them, he was a part of the family. Firefighters have a family unit that we on the outside weren't even aware of.''

During the service, mourners stood to tell their favorite story about Smith, who died of an aortic aneurysm. They spoke of a bespectacled man who always wore a smile, who jingled the change in his pockets, and who was bright and alert until the day he died.

And they grinned and nodded in recognition when the subject of the way Smith disciplined his workers came up. Many in attendance knew that when Smith invited them to ``take a drive'' with him, they were in for it.

In addressing the gathering, Fire Department Chaplain Steve Pope recalled a story about the time Smith took his grandchildren fishing and gave them his fishing pole to reel in the fish on his hook as their own.

``Val is handing you the pole and asking you to reel in a life full of meaning,'' Pope said.

``Leave a legacy,'' he said. ``Val decided to live his life by always being ready to help, by always building a community and by always being there for the people he loved.''

Smith, born Richard Val Smith on Dec. 20, 1903, joined the fire department in 1940. He was first assigned to Santa Paula and later was moved to Simi Valley.

In 1956, he was made the first fire captain of Simi Valley's Station 41, which was located on Los Angeles Avenue then. He retired in 1966.

Smith and his wife, Meryle, raised their three girls at stations 41 and 45, which is on Pacific Avenue, in Simi Valley. It was common back then for fire captains to live at the station because they were on duty for a week at a time.

To help out, Meryle answered the phones at the station and the girls sounded the sirens to alert volunteer firefighters when they were needed.

``Firefighting was his life,'' said his daughter Louise Valene Williams after the service. ``And when you live at the station, like we did, it was our life, too.''

When his wife died in 1990 and he was suddenly living alone, Smith grew even closer to the crew of Station 45, visiting often and always wanting to hear the latest about the department, friends said.

``I thought I would be nice to this poor, old lonely man,'' said fire Capt. Keith Mashburn, of the time he met Smith. ``But with all the family he has, you have to make an appointment to see him. I quickly found out that he wasn't a poor, old man. He was very wealthy as far as friends and family goes.''

Smith is survived by his sister, Ethel Pearl Rounds of Santa Paula; his daughters Williams and Betty Gene Bateman, both of Simi Valley, and Dorothy Marie Havens of Yakima, Wash.; as well as 10 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.

CAPTION(S):

3 Photos

PHOTO (1) Ventura County firefighters turned out Tuesday for the funeral of former Ventura County Fire Department Battalion Chief Val Smith.

(2--Color in Simi Edition only) (Ran in Simi and Conejo Editions only) An older-model fire truck was parked outside Simi Valley Community Church during services Tuesday for ex-Chief Val Smith.

(3--Color in Simi Edition only) (Ran in Simi and Conejo Editions only) no caption (Val Smith)

Michael Owen Baker/Daily News