Members Scholarship Application Education Programs General Information Publications Media Hortio Alger, Jr. Delford M. Smith
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Born in Seattle, Washington, in 1930, Delford Smith lost both parents at birth, and began life in an orpanage. At age two he was adopted and raised in Centralia, Washington, growing up with basic, old-fashioned ideas about the importance of honesty and hard work. Shortly after his adoption, Smith's father died and his adoptive mother, "Grandma Smith", rasied him alone. When he was 8, he borrowed $2.50 from a bank to buy a lawn mower. By age 11, he had saved enough money mowing lawns to make a down payment on a home for his mother and to provide education at the University of Washington for himself. After a brief tour in the US Air Force, Smith began flying helicopters commerically in 1956. In 1960, he incorporated Evergreen Helicopters, Inc. which focused on agricultural and forestry. Over the past 42 years, Evergreen's worldwide services have grown to include 747 all-cargo operations, airport ground handling aircraft repairs and sale, and a division specializing in nurseries and farms.

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