05/05/2026
I’m sharing this post tonight with a heavy heart.
With permission from the Smith family, we are saddened to announce the passing of retired Captain Ryan Smith.
Most of us know him as “Smitty", but to a lot of people, he’s been so much more than just a name. He was a Captain, a coach, a husband, a father, a son, a brother, and to many of us, a really good friend and what we would consider family.
Smitty gave 26 years to the Minerva Fire Department showing up and being someone you could count on. He was the kind of firefighter you didn’t question, you just trusted. He did what needed done without hesitation. He did the job the way it was meant to be done.
Smitty gave 30 years to coaching youth football. Thirty years of shaping young lives teaching discipline, confidence, and what it means to be part of something bigger than yourself.
There are people today who are better men and women because of him.
He’s the guy people looked up to. The guy you went to for advice. The guy who didn’t just talk about showing up, he was already there.
To the Smith family,
There aren’t words for what you’re carrying right now. But we hope you can feel how deeply he is respected, how loved he is, and how much he has meant to all of us.
He didn’t just belong to this department or this town, he helped shape it.
And though heartbroken, we are also incredibly grateful for the years, the lessons, for the memories, and most of all, grateful for Smitty and the time we were blessed to share with him.
Smitty may not be able to stay here with us the way we wish he could, but everything he stood for will carry on, in this department, this town, and in every life he touched.
To his children, if you take anything from all of this remember this, your dad had a contagious laugh that was full of life that people wont forget. He laughed loud and he laughed often. That kind of joy he carried was something special and will never be forgotten.
Firefighting carries risks that dont always take immediate affect. It’s part of the sacrifice made by those who choose to serve. We can’t say why things happen the way they do, but we can say without a doubt that Smitty gave everything he had to this job and this community.
-Chief Catlett
