John "Keoni" Mano Smythe

John Mano Smythe, or as we all lovingly called him Keoni was born on New Years Day 1949 at 3:10 pm Kona Hospital in rural north Kona-Kailua, Hawaii. He was the youngest son to parents David a fisherman and Leilani Smythe. He is proceeded in death by his brother David Kaleolani Smythe, his wife Kathleen or KC Smythe, Jordan Flowers and John Milner. He is survived by his sister Naomi Puanani Botelo Viera, Janey Dixon and family, Amy and Joe Carney and family and his stepdaughter Shannon Arakaki. Keoni lived on the Big Island Hawaii until the age of 5. He then moved to Oahu and attended Kindergarten for a second time. He loved Volleyball, Basketball, Football, outrigger canoe races and fishing. He graduated Roosevelt High School in 1967 and joined the Marines, thus fighting in Vietnam, at one point during his time in the Marines his tank hit a mine, and the track blew off and hit his left knee. SEMPER FIDELIS During his time in the marines on leave in Hawaii he met Kathleen Arakaki or KC and her daughter Shannon. KC and Keoni were married on April 18, 1970, in Oceanside California at Camp Pendelton. During their time in Oceanside, he was a USMC school instructor and was on Western White House Presidential Security Detail for President Nixon. In 1972, he retired from the Marines. They moved to Anaheim, California shortly after and Keoni and his brother Kaleo worked for the Disneyland Hotel and Resort doing security detail. In 1975, Keoni joined the ARMY. He was stationed in Fort Bragg North Carolina he was a Platoon Sergeant 82d Airborne Division. In 1977, he served at the Inauguration of President Jimmy Carter. In 1981, he became the Instructor Battalion Training management system and a Pathfinder Detachment Sergeant in Germany. In 1982, the family was back in Fort Bragg North Carolina as a Battalion Plans Training noncommissioned officer in charge. In 1983, he fought in the United States Invasion of Grenada, Operation Urgent Fury. In 1984, the family moved to Fort Lewis Washington where he was Special Forces Weapons Sergeant. He also was Group Training noncommissioned officer in charge, he was responsible for technical and tactical training of each man, he established an evaluation program utilizing after action reports and he planned organized and executed “real world” missions. While in Washington state he also attended South Puget Sound Community College. In 1989, he fought in the United States Invasion of Panama, Operations just cause. In 1991, he fought in the Persian Gulf War, Operation Desert Storm. At sometimes in his service, he was shot in the ankle with AK47, and a 122 Rocket Shrapnel hit his stomach. In 1992-1994, he was sent to Japan as a Special Forces Operations Sergeant; he wrote and made presentations to foreign officials to arrange approval of Special Forces Training Operations and mediated conflicts between upper and lower echelon staff of both US and foreign countries. While in Japan he also attended Central Texas College Far East Campus. At some point he also became a HALO (high altitude low oxygen) jump master and he spent some time in Australia and Thailand. After 20 years of faithful service to our country he retired from the ARMY as an E-8 Special Force Green Beret DE OPPRESSO LIBER. In 1998 Keoni and KC bought 40 acres in Red Fether Lakes gate 13, they built a geodesic dome house which KC named Haven’s Home. In 2000 he worked at Poudre School District as a bus driver and then mechanic he retired again in 2015. He is our Hanai father and Kupuna grandfather he will be greatly missed A Hui Hou

John "Keoni" Mano Smythe

June 16, 2025