Elaine Smith

Eleanor Garrett Smith was born in Staten Island, New York to Arthur and Marguerite Garrett.
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Eleanor was involved in the Association of Women Students House Announcements, the Associated Student-Body of the University of Washington Publications, Washington Engineer Magazine staff, YM-YWCA Monthly Newsletter Editor and Section Editor for the Tyee Yearbook.There, she met and fell in love with Homer Smith and debated whether to try for the Tyee Editorship and a BS, or get married.She opted for the MRS..In 1950, Eleanor and Homer moved back to Quilcene where she returned to work for her father as a telephone operator and bookkeeper.She learned to do the billing in one day when previous workers normally took three.The rest of her time was spent as a secretary for her husband's new business, the Homer Smith Insurance Agency.She recalls, with a smile, that at this time the files were kept in a shoebox.In addition to both jobs, Eleanor was also getting her MA in raising her daughter, Elaine.In 1957, when her father sold the Washington telephone companies and started Alaska Power & Telephone Company in Skagway, Eleanor and her husband bought Hoodsport and Pacific Water Companies from her father.Eleanor worked part-time for Homer and spent the rest of her time raising their four children Elaine, Homer III, Patricia, and Arthur.During this time she had two more sons, Brian and Greg, while she became a Real Estate agent to handle the holdings of the Insurance Company.Eleanor has always been actively involved in the community and has held positions of Sunday School Teacher, President of a preschool organization for young mothers, and organized the first nursery school and kindergarten in Quilcene.She had a leading role in getting kindergarten into the Quilcene Public Schools a year before the state legislature voted to make kindergarten part of the public school system.She was active with the March of Dimes as a volunteer, and remembers being sent out twice in 1955 because they thought they had found a vaccine for polio and needed more money for development.She has been a Brownie Leader, Girl Scout Leader, Den Mother, and an ordained Deacon of her church.She has been a Sunday School Teacher for 25 years, Women's Association Chairman & Officer, a member of the PTA for 25 years, a monthly bulletin column writer for her church for over 15 years, and most recently a volunteer with the Jefferson County Orthopedic Group and a member of Puget Sound Power & Light Advisory Council.As a result of her son Greg's disability, she has also assisted in Port Townsend Schools Special Education classes.Another activity she has participated in for the last 40 years is playing golf.Eleanor has won tournaments, trophies, and became Ladies Team Captain at Chevy Chase Golf Course.She reflects that she played her best golf back when she first took up the sport, but now just enjoys the game for the fun of it. As co-owner of the Homer Smith Insurance Company, Eleanor continues to serve as Secretary-Treasurer and Director, as she has for the last 50 years.Eleanor believes it is important to give back to the community and she continues to do so to this day.In her free time, Eleanor enjoys her six children and eleven grandchildren, and has traveled extensively to different parts of the world, spending several months in Hawaii each year.In 1980 she became the Vice-President of Administration for AP&T for 2-3 years and was also on the Board of Directors, but then went on a hiatus.In 1989 Eleanor was again asked to be on the Board of Directors, and she continues to serve to this day.Eleanor states, This company has gone far beyond what my father envisioned for it ; he never dreamed of hydro. She believes this company has outstanding leadership, and she has enjoyed her years on the Board.

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Hydro Project Update

Elaine Smith, CPCU - Account Specialist

Elaine Smith, Secretary-Treasurer