D. Richard Smith

D. Richard 'Dick' Smith Beloved husband, father, and grandfather passed away on February 10th, 2011 in his Santa Fe home surrounded by his family. He will be remembered for his gusto and passion for life, his love of music and involvement in the Santa Fe music and arts community, his passion for motorcycles, and his many friends and family who will dearly miss him. Dick was born in Lafayette, Indiana in 1930. He graduated from Purdue University in 1953, then served in the U.S. Army where he was awarded an Army Commendation Medal for his work with fellow servicemen, he then returned to Purdue and received his Ph.D. in 1960. He spent his career working at Purdue in a variety of roles including Dean of the Fort Wayne regional campus, Professor of General Studies, and Associate Director of International Education and Research. In this last role he worked in Cairo, Egypt negotiating Purdue's contract for a major nutrition study done with the Ministry of Health. Dick's love for music started at a young age, when he was 11 years old he soloed at the Purdue Musical Organization's Christmas Convocation in front of a packed house at the Elliot Hall of Music. He then sang as a tenor/soloist with the Varsity Glee Club throughout his time at Purdue and was given the Musical Organization's Outstanding Graduate award as he completed his degree. His love of music extended to the orchestra where he played the timpani and percussion for the Lafayette Symphony Orchestra and was known to all in the area by his nickname 'The Great Inland Timpanist'. In 1980, he was asked by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to sing the opening ceremony traditional race kickoff song, 'Back Home Again in Indiana' in front of a worldwide television audience and 300,000 spectators, which he delivered passionately and flawlessly. In 1998, Dick retired to Santa Fe where he has remained active in the local music and arts community. He served as a Docent at the New Mexico History Museum and at the Santa Fe opera. He performed on the timpani with the Santa Fe Concert Band. Dick also loved to ride his beloved motorcycles around Northern New Mexico and frequently enjoyed participating in the New Mexico Freewheeler's rides. Dick is survived by his wife of 53 years Ginger; his sons Richard and Steven; and his grandson Benjamin. In lieu of flowers, donations may be given in Dick's name to the Santa Fe Concert Band or the Museum of New Mexico or New Mexico Cancer Care Foundation. A memorial celebrating the life of D. Richard (Dick) Smith was held on March 11, 2011 in the atrium of the Museum of International Folk Art Camino Lejo Museum Hill in Santa Fe, NM.