Prominent Indiana Lawyer peacefully passed away on Saturday, December 20, 2014. Terrance L Smithwas born the youngest of five boys (Alban L., J. Patrick, T. Michael, and Dennis F. ) and a sister (Kathy Smith-Waterson) of Judge Alban M, Smith and Dorothy Smith of LaPorte, Indiana on July 5, 1942. After graduating from LaPorte High School in 1961 Terry attended Indiana University (Bloomington) earning a B.S. in Business and than a Doctor of Jurisprudence in 1968. During college and law school Terry worked as an organizer for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.In 1966 while in Law School he married his college sweetheart, Lorna Odle (1943-2004) of Demotte, Indiana, and they raised two surviving sons: Jason S. and Adrian P. Ten years after the death of Lorna, Terry married his long time friend Linda Phillips of Hobart, Indiana. Additionally, Terry is survived by his sister, five grandchildren: Daisy, Matthew, Blaire, Julia and Steven, and many nieces & nephews.Funeral services will be held on Monday, December 29, 2014 directly at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 109 ‚ÄúC‚Äù Street, LaPorte, IN 46350 with a 10:00 AM Mass of Christian Burial. Interment will be at St. Joseph Cemetery, LaPorte, IN. Visitation will be on Sunday, December 28, 2014 from 2:00-6:00 PM with a prayer service at 5:00 PMat Kish Funeral Home, 10000 Calumet Ave. Munster, INAfter Graduating from law school, Terry entered private practice as an associate in the law firm of Smith and Smith, LaPorte, Indiana. That same year he become a full time Trial Deputy at the Lake County Prosecutor's Office, Felony Division, Crown Point, Indiana. During the same period he joined the law firm of Smith and Granack, Hammond, Indiana. Seven years after admission to the Bar, he joined the law firm of Murphy, McAtee, Murphy & Costanza, East Chicago, Indiana as one of the partners-owners. Ten years thereafter he established a new firm under the name Smith & DeBonis LLC in East Chicago, Indiana later moving that firm to Highland, Indiana. He retired from the active practice of law in 2009.Terry was a trial lawyer and limited his practice to civil trial law. The practice included being the private litigation attorney for BP, Amoco Oil Co., Mittal Steel USA, International Steel Group Inc., ISG Indiana Harbor Inc., LTV Steel Corporation, (formally LTV Corporation, Republic Steel Corporation, Jones & Laughlin Steel Corporation, Youngtown Sheet and Tube Company) Republic Industries, Cities Service Company, Majestic Star Casino, Harrah‚Äôs Casino and other multi-national corporations. He was appointed special trial counsel for the cities of East Chicago and LaPorte, Indiana. However, ‚ÄúThe best part of is law practice‚Äù he offend said ‚Äúwas representing the ordinary person in their hour of need.‚ÄùIn 1990 Terry was awarded the National Trial Lawyer of the Year Award by the Association of Trial Lawyers of America. The 1988 he received the Indiana Trial Lawyers of the Year Award presented by the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association. He was selected to and listed in: ‚ÄúThe Best Lawyers in America,‚Äù ‚ÄúBest Lawyers in Indiana,‚Äù ‚ÄúIndiana Super Lawyers‚Äù ‚ÄúTop Commercial Litigation Lawyers and was named Best Lawyer in the additions of U.S. News and World Reports‚ÄùTerry was appointed to various Indiana State committees and boards including ‚ÄúIndiana Judicial Nomination and Qualification Commission, 2000‚Äî2002; Indiana Supreme Court Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure, 1992–1998. United States District Court, Northern District of Indiana Grievance Committee and the Select Committee for the appointment of United States Magistrates; He was elected Indiana Trial Lawyers Association‚Äôs President in 1995, and was elected Indiana State Bar Association, Chairman, Trial Lawyers Section.In addition Terry authored 36 legal books published by Lawyers Co Operative Publishing Company and West Publishing Company.In 1996 Governor Evan Bayh appointed Terry to the Council of the Sagamores of the Wabash, (Indiana‚Äôs highest State award) given for outstanding service to the State of Indiana.Later in life Terry returned to the university setting earning a Ph.D. in American History and completing his post Doctorate Studies at the University of Chicago, Oriental Institute, in Egyptian Studies.Family, law and studies were not Terry‚Äôs only interest. He held a commercial pilots license and flow his twine-engine piper aircraft all over North America from Halifax to Acapulco. An open water diver and certified underwater photographer he filmed the coral reefs from Florida to Belize. An after retiring from the law practice he traveled the world. We will miss his adventurist sprit.