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Catholic San Francisco
Feb. 17, 2021
Father Wilton Smith, retired pastor of St. Veronica Church in South San Francisco, died Feb. 12, 2021 at Golden Home Extended Care in San Rafael. Father Smith was a priest for 62 years and 88 years old.
Ordained at a time when what are now the Diocese of Oakland and the Diocese of San Jose were part of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, Father Smith served as a parochial vicar at parishes including St. Catherine, Martinez and St. Martin, Sunnyvale as well as St. Emydius, San Francisco, and St. Isabella San Rafael. He was in residence at Church of the Epiphany, San Francisco while serving as full-time chaplain of the Newman Center at San Francisco City College 1976-1980.
The Office of the Vicar for Clergy included an excerpt from a letter to Archbishop Joseph McGucken about Father Smith from Dr. Ernest Nackord of City College during Father Smith’s time at the school:
“Father Smith is one of the most respected and loved ‘guys’ on this campus, both by Catholic and non-Catholic faculty members. Of course, the students think of him as another St. Francis and they may well be correct. I don’t think Father Smith has ever in his life had an unkind thought about anyone or anything. Without being flip, disrespectful, or presumptuous, I truly believe that God was in a very happy mood when he created Father Smith.”
“Father Wil enjoyed tennis, Peanuts cartoons, Lake Tahoe, and he loved the Bible,” his brother-in-law Robert DeMattei, said in a statement. “He loved his Catholic faith and loved family and friends and will be dearly missed.” Father Smith cherished near-daily visits from beloved nephew, Paul DeMattei, the Office of Vicar for Clergy said.
Dr. Raymond John, while St. Veronica School principal, wrote to Archbishop John R. Quinn in the late 80s about the two priests then serving at the parish. “I wish more people knew our pastor, Father William Quinn, and our associate, Father Wilton Smith. These men provide excellent leadership in all they do. They are both warm, compassionate, dedicated and deeply spiritual…I can only hope and pray that we continue to draw young men to the priesthood of the quality of these two.”
Father Quinn, now deceased, would go on to serve as pastor of Holy Name Parish in San Francisco when Father Smith became pastor of St. Veronica in 1990.
“Father Wilton retained his generous nature, phenomenal memory and steady focus through his 18 years of retirement, despite the slow but relentless progress of Parkinson’s,” Father Andrew Spyrow, vicar for clergy, said.
Survivors, in addition to the Misters DeMattei, and Robert’s wife, Kay, include nephew Paul DeMattei; nieces: Susan DeMattei (Dave Wiens) and their sons Cooper, Ben and Sam; Nancy DeMattei, Lisa DeMattei (Matt Naworski) and their daughters Jessica and Ava. He is also survived by cousins Presentation Sister Marilyn Medau, and Margaret Jenkins (Lou) and their children Jean Schulte, Laura Fahy, and Dan Jenkins.
There will be no public Mass at this time due to the pandemic.
Remembrances may be made to the Priests’ Retirement Fund, One Peter Yorke Way, San Francisco 94109.
