Karl Beckwith Smith Jr. ’39

K.B. died Jan. 28, 2006, in Sanibel, Fla., just two weeks short of his 90th birthday.

He was widely recognized as the longest living survivor of insulin-dependent diabetes. In 1922 he was among the earliest recipients of this lifesaving drug. He believed that strict control of blood-sugar levels would diminish the complications of diabetes and, for him, this was the case, as his long and active life attests.

During World War II he served as an engineer and civilian technician with the Navy. K.B. worked to develop cooling systems for aircraft engines and invented a self-locking nut. He was employed by Wright Aeronautical and General Motors corporations. A longtime resident of Jamestown, R.I., he was former commodore of the Conanicut Yacht Club and founder of the Fool's Rules Regatta, a major community event in Jamestown for more than 25 years. He raced stock cars and hydroplanes, winning numerous trophies. An avid tennis player, he also hunted, fly-fished, was a gunsmith, and designed and built high-speed miniature steam engines.

K.B. is survived by Diana, his wife of 33 years; his children by his first marriage to the late Barbara Conger, Karl III, Beverly,

and Barbara; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. We offer them sincere sympathy.

The Class of 1939