Walking the park for a quarter-century

Gene Smith turned 98 on Monday and he has been walking around Hot Springs State Park for 25 years.

"It's the best place in the world to walk," Smith said. "I generally put in about three miles a day and it takes me a little over an hour. The park is an ideal place to walk. The people are all friendly. You're in no hurry when you go for a leisure walk. You can stop and talk to people."

Smith said he has lived in Thermopolis since 1946.

"I came here after serving three years in World War II," he said. "I went in in '43 and got out in '46. They had just built a couple of new houses up on 5th Street and I bought one. I've been living in the same house ever since. The houses were smaller back then, so in the years I've lived there I added 10 feet in the front and 10 feet in the back."

For work, Smith said he has done practically everything, from opening up a mechanic shop to working in body shops to working in the oil field.

Smith said he was originally from Littleton, Colo. but his family moved to Casper, Wyo., where he graduated from high school in 1935. He said he moved to Thermopolis after the war because it was a small, safe town.

"This town is one of the best for growing up, for raising kids and grandkids," he said. "There's not too much bad stuff going on around here. I love the park. That's why everyone comes here."

Smith said he always wore his walking shoes every time he came to the park.

"Every time we come up here [Hot Springs State Park], you know to put on your walking shoes," he said. "You're going to go for a walk."

In 2001 and 2002, Smith said he had to undergo knee replacements, but that never stopped him.

"My knees seem to work fine now," he said. "I've had no problems at all."

Smith said he plans to walk around the park for the rest of his life.

"I'm going to walk as long as I can," he said. "I enjoy walking. You keep in shape. You don't want to be a couch potato. You sit on the couch, you stay there."

Other than walking, Smith said he enjoys playing golf on most days. He also said he got his pilot's license shortly after getting out of World War II and he flew until age 90 when he sold his plane. He said he also loves to play both the organ and the piano.

"I play the organ," he said. "My mother taught us how to play the piano. I play the piano with one hand and the organ with the other. I spend most evenings playing music for about 45 minutes."