Dawson C. Smith ’47

Move over, James Bond, for ’47’s Dawson Smith.

After three years of service with the Navy during World War II, he graduated in 1949 and joined a New York bank.

A yearning for more excitement and travel quickly led him to join the CIA. He was assigned to what he called the “dirty fingernail side” of intelligence gathering, notably in Southeast Asia and the Balkans — and often in hostile territory. After 25 years of this adventurous activity Dawson found himself suffering from ulcers and serious Asian diseases, and he was retired on disability.

During an assignment at CIA headquarters he met Linda and “flirted with her for nine years” before their marriage in 1968.

After his retirement she persuaded him to relocate to Oregon, and they found their dream house in a small town in the foothills of the Coastal Range. Dawson began teaching fencing, his longtime favorite sport, connected with local theater companies, and began coaching and directing theatrical sword duels. Linda took up ballet while Dawson added ballet sword play to his repertoire.

He died Sept. 14, 2009.

Dawson was a loyal classmate and we send this tribute to Linda, Dawson’s three children from his first marriage, and his two grandchildren.