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WICHITA, Kan. -- Roger Wright Smeltzer Sr., 73, passed away peacefully and surrounded by loving family on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in Wichita, Kansas.
Roger was born the son of the late Kenneth Wright and Dorothy Clark Smeltzer on Nov. 1952, in Warren, Ohio, and is survived by his wife, Marcia Reed; sons, Roger Smeltzer Jr. (Claudia Dosamantes Smeltzer) of Fort Worth, Texas, and Brandon Smeltzer (Shannon Smeltzer) of Grapevine, Texas; daughter, Michelle Smeltzer-Beames (Howard Beames) of Balmedie, Scotland-UK; sister, Robin Bowser of Vienna, Ohio; 12 beloved grandchildren, Roger III, Joshua, Samuel, Abigail; Hannah, Moses, Nathan, Stephen, Sarah, Titus, Elizabeth; and Selah Beames, along with a host of nieces, nephews and cousins across Texas, Ohio and Florida.
Roger was raised in Vienna, Ohio. He was proud to be the senior class president of the Mathews High School Class of 1970, where he invested 56 years of planning gatherings and class reunions with lifelong friends.
Roger went on to complete his bachelor's degree in business administration from Youngstown State University in 1976. Roger began his professional life by washing airplanes while still in high school at Beckett Aviation at the Youngstown Airport, which led to 50-plus years in fixed-wing aviation across Ohio, Illinois, Kansas, Texas, and Arkansas. Roger retired from Textron Aviation in Wichita, Kansas, in 2019, and continued to consult in recent years.
Roger married Marcia Reed of Fowler, Ohio, in 2004, upon which they dedicated their lives to faith and ministry together. Most recently, Roger was a proud and active member of The Goddard Church, a Global Methodist Church in Goddard, Kansas.
Roger was never shy to share news of his three beloved children and 12 grandchildren wherever he went and always made time for them. Roger had a unique way of connecting with people from all walks of life and making everyone smile as he loved deeply. His love for people was evident from early on when he helped to lead and invest in his church youth group at Vienna United Methodist while residing in Ohio. Roger was also an avid sports fan, to include the Buckeyes, Browns, Indians, and beyond.
Most importantly, we are proud to say that Roger was a growing disciple of Jesus Christ.
A funeral will take place on Monday, Oct. 12, 2026, with visitation at 9 a.m., followed by a memorial service, https://vimeo.com/event/6231969/embed, at 11 a.m., at the Goddard Church. Burial will take place at 1:30 p.m. at the Resthaven Cemetery in Wichita, Kansas. Lunch will follow at The Goddard Church after the burial proceedings.
The family suggests a donation, in Roger's honor, in lieu of flowers, to New Covenant Church https://www.newcovchurch.us/donate/. Roger was deeply committed to the advancement of this ministry of support and outreach to the homeless and needy families in the Delano area of Wichita.
"But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body." – Philippians 3:20-21
(special notice)