Obituary of William Douglas Smith

After a long medical journey, William (Willis) Douglas Smith passed away suddenly at the age of 58, on Sunday, October 26, 2025, at Strathmere Lodge. He will be dearly missed by his sister Jeanette and her husband Don Lyons, who supported Willis throughout his lengthy medical journey, along with two of their children, Damon and Jessica.

Willis will be lovingly remembered by his parents, Doug and Marion Smith of Strathroy, and his siblings: Mike (Dawn) Smith, James (Lisa) Smith, Christina (Chris) Cameron, Mathew (Genevieve) Smith, Jeffery (Katy) Smith, and Amanda (Brandon) Corbett. He will also be remembered by many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, and one great-niece.

Willis deeply enjoyed spending time with loved ones and especially loved playing games at Don and Jeanette’s with his cousin Dave (Tammy) Herygers. He had a heart of gold and always put others before himself. The last few years were not easy for Willis. After being unable to receive a kidney transplant in 2023 and undergoing dialysis since 2020, his body began to grow tired. Despite his health challenges, Willis remained cheerful and kind.

Willis now joins, as our angel, his family members: his biological mother, Linda, and his brother-in-law, Rick Winslade

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the many healthcare professionals involved in his care, especially the dialysis teams at Westmount Mall and Victoria Hospital in London, Ontario; Dr. Arsh Jain; Nurse Practitioners Julia Petrakis and Jackie Crandall; Dr. Tom Shadow and his staff; Dr. Phil Vanderwalle; Brent and his team at Strathmere Lodge; and especially his Hickory Woods family, where Willis resided following his double amputation in 2021.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, October 30, 2025, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Denning’s of Strathroy. A second visitation will take place on Friday, October 31, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the Funeral Service at 11:00 a.m., also at Denning’s of Strathroy. Interment will follow the service at Strathroy Cemetery, with a luncheon—catered by Denning’s—to be held afterward.

Please come dressed as you wish—Willis never judged anyone. If you have Star Trek or Star Wars clothing, he would have loved that.

In memory of Willis, donations may be made to the Womens Rural Resource Centre of  Strathroy and Area or the Children’s Sunshine Foundation.

Online condolences may be shared at http://www.strathroyfuneralhome.com