About The Book

Smith writes of his life changing time in North Andover, “Father Kevin Deeley is the pastor now at Saint 17 Michael’s, and on at least two occasions, he has brought the rite of anointing of the sick to my neighbor, 18 Ellen Benedict. Father Deeley is a retired Navy Chaplin who has been in the parish for about six years. 19 He has a great connection to the town’s veterans. Bob Carol, a former mailman in town for decades, is 20 a member of the Saturday Men’s Prayer Group. He and his wife Donna have helped me with shopping 21 and doctor’s appointments for the past three years. Our Men’s Prayer Group meets on Saturday 22 mornings for an hour to discuss the following Sunday’s Gospel reading. The Prayer Group usually 23 consists of about forty men, including priests and deacons. I have been a member for about twelve 24 years and have developed many strong friendships.”  After serving in Korea, Asia, and West Germany beginning in the early 1960s, Smith believed then as 30 he does now about service above self. He says, “I hope that this story will be meaningful to the reader. 31 I am inspired by my experiences with the Army; the US Postal Service; the Franklin Institute of Boston; 32 the University of Lowell; the Massachusetts Department of Public Works; Saint Michael Parish; the town 33 of North Andover, Massachusetts; and numerous other institutions. I’ve had my share of life’s ups and 34 downs, but the downs have been few, so I guess you can say I’ve been lucky and will add that it’s all 35 because of you, the people I have known. As I write this, my life’s story, between each line of pain and 36 glory, I want you to know: the town of North Andover—you are the best thing that ever happened to 37 me!”