Arthur Dean Smith

Arthur Dean Smith started life May 3, 1942, in Alamosa, CO, born to Frank “Allen” Smith and Ocie Moran Smith. He grew up mostly in Lake Wales, FL where he biked, swam and enjoyed outdoor life. He developed an interest in the sciences and was part of the first Engineering Science degree class at Florida State University, graduating in 1965.

A 20-year career in the USAF followed, with work as a Titan II missile officer, a master’s degree in electrical engineering, research in the field of lasers and optics, and several assignments in electronic intelligence. Duty stations in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, California, Florida and Wiesbaden (West Germany) kept life challenging and provided many ways to learn more about people and places. After his 1985 USAF retirement in San Antonio, he continued scientific work at Southwest Research Institute and at Syracuse Research Corporation, mostly in radar analysis.

In 1966 he met Linda Hayden at a church choir practice in Zephyrhills, FL and they married there in 1969, enjoying almost 54 years of adventure together, raising two children as an Air Force family, settling in San Antonio, and then traveling to see many parts of the world from Iceland to New Zealand.

Art loved to sing and belonged to many, many choruses of all kinds throughout his life, with church choir being a constant in every place he lived as an adult. He loved working outdoors and on indoor projects as well, always thinking about his next task and being efficient, practical, and thrifty, values he learned as a child and that served him well as an engineer. He was also an active contributing member of his community, serving many years as Scoutmaster for Troop 66, Board Member/President of the Country Bend Homeowners Assn, and as Secretary on the Board of the Leon Springs Fire Department.

He is survived by his sister, Rosalie Stevenson (husband Ron), his wife Linda, son Mark Smith, daughter Karen Andrews-Rice (husband Will Rice), granddaughters Kaithe and Karis Andrews, and two step-grandsons, Joshua and Samuel Rice.

Memorial gifts may be made to the church, either to Facilities (technical infrastructure) or to the Music Ministry.