Mr. Paul "Smitty" VanGorden Jr. passed away on Sunday, October 20, 2024, in Winchester Medical Center in Winchester, VA, with his family by his side.

Smitty VanGorden was born on August 9, 1936, in Binghamton, NY to the late Paul Smith VanGorden Sr., and Edith Smith VanGorden.

Smitty grew up in Binghamton, NY. While traveling to the Shenandoah Valley with his best friend, he met, and eventually married, Janice ("Janey") Keyton. Soon after, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and was stationed in Germany. Janey joined him there and later their first son, Scott, was born. After serving in the Army, Smitty started his professional career working for Scope, and for the Link Division of the Singer Company, creating aircraft simulators and items for the defense industry. During this time, he earned his bachelor's degree from Southeastern University and became a father to another son, Bryan, and a daughter, Julie. In 1969, he ran for a seat on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and served as a campaign manager for other candidates. He later worked for Computer Sciences Corporation, serving as project manager to teams building control rooms for nuclear power plants, and then for SAI Corporation. In the 1990s he moved in a completely different direction and started a furniture business. Smitty was a family man who was intensely involved in his community. He helped start the Westlawn Civic Association, becoming its first president. He dearly loved baseball and coached both Little League and Babe Ruth for many years, serving as president of the league. Smitty was always good-natured, funny, exuded a "can-do" spirit, and was generous to a fault. He'd be the first to help in a crisis and you could count on him for anything. He loved to entertain children, taught many (many!) folks how to ski, and had a story for everything. We will miss his stories, his incredible work ethic, his lead foot, his terrible choice of vehicles, his occasional stubbornness, his goofy sayings, and the fun debates we would have on almost any topic. He was certainly a fixture and a force in our lives, and all of that will be terribly missed. He was preceded in death by his wife, Janey, of 63 years, and his sister, June Johnston.

He is survived by his brother, Carl VanGorden (Lee); his children: Scott VanGorden (Nancy), Bryan VanGorden (Carolyn), and Julie Alber; his grandchildren: James Claudio (Kristen), Eric Michael (Kathleen), Wesley Kibler, Josh Alber, Rachel Alber, and Daniel VanGorden; eight great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life will be conducted at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 9, 2024, at Stover Funeral Home Strasburg, VA. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the  service.

You may sign the guestbook and submit condolences online at www.stoverfuneralhome.com

Stover Funeral Home and Crematory, Strasburg, VA is serving the family of Mr. Paul "Smitty" VanGorden Jr.