Donald Charles Smith ’52

DONALD CHARLES SMITH '52

After his collapse and a month in the hospital, Don Smith died on July 7, 2005, from complications of suspected early dementia. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated by his colleagues at Seton Hall University. We understand that Don was the sole Catholic priest from our class.

Don entered Princeton from Dickinson High School in Jersey City, N.J., with the intention of becoming a teacher. A member of Prospect Club and a modern-languages major, he was an outstanding student. He received the William Koren Memorial Prize in Italian twice. He was a Cane Scholar and vice president of the Spanish Club, and graduated magna cum laude and as a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

After two years of teaching in public and parochial schools, Don entered Seton Hall University to pursue the priesthood. After four years of studying Greek, Latin, and Thomistic philosophy, Don was assigned to the North American College in Rome. He was ordained a priest in St. Peter's Basilica in 1961. On his return to the Archdiocese of Newark, N.J., he joined Seton Hall's faculty as an assistant professor of modern languages.

In our BOH, Don expressed his affection for Princeton and gratitude for the splendid education he had received. He had hoped to attend our 50th reunion.