John Burnside Smith

John Burnside Smith
(November 23, 1931-May 11, 2005)

A little further up the hill and on the opposite side of the road you can see a black granite monument bearing the name Smith above a gray wreath. A walk up to that monument reveals the headstones for several Smiths and their relations. The headstone directly in front of the family monument is for John Burnside Smith.

Along with his name and dates, the headstone is engraved with the logo of the Mayflower Moving Company, the ship the Mayflower. For whether by coincidence or design, the CEO of the moving company that brought the Colts to town in 1984 is buried near the owner of the team it brought.

John was the third generation of the Smith family to lead the Mayflower Company, taking the reins from 1969 until 1989, a period which saw both tremendous growth and financial setbacks. In addition to his leadership in that company, Smith served on the Boards of Directors of many businesses, non-profit organizations, and colleges. A devoted member of Second Presbyterian Church, he and his wife Barbara started the John Burnside Smith Center for Family Life Ministries there.

Location: Section 61, Lot 14; GPS (39.8192541, -86.1766123)