With courage, dignity, and wry humor to the end, Fred died of pancreatic cancer on Nov. 18, 2019.

            The son of Frederick ’37 and Marjorie Smith, Fred grew up in Burlington, Vt., and came to us from Phillips Academy. He majored in English and went on to earn an M.B.A. from Dartmouth’s Tuck School. Over the years, he served as the financial officer for several small entrepreneurial companies, most recently VS2, a data security software start-up. Along with his skills, Fred brought the highest of ethical standards and personal commitment to every endeavor.

            There was far more to Fred than his professional life, however. He and Lisa Char-Smith ’75, who married in 1980, raised three children: Matthew ’05, Katharine ’07, and Timothy (U. of Rochester ’11). Family was the center of Fred’s life; their children, with their many talents and achievements, were his pride and joy. Last August, he and his family were able to enjoy a wonderful trip together to London and Scotland.

Fred took great delight in being a lifelong learner in an enormous range of subjects and enjoyed lengthy discussions with friends and family on almost any topic. He continued to recite poetry at the drop of a hat and always found great happiness in singing.

He was witty and fun, quiet yet assertive, a fast and durable friend. At Colonial Club junior and senior years, Fred developed dear friendships with many of his clubmates, including Ted West ’75 and his wife, Anna, and Tim vanBlommesteyn ’75, who went on to Tuck with Fred. 

Senior year, Fred served Colonial as dining manager, ably delivering a hundred dinners a night with a too-tight budget and a very challenging crew. He managed to see the club through it all. As senior year wound down, Fred took over the Colonial kitchen to produce vast quantities of oven-dried meat for his epic climb to the top of Denali, North America’s highest peak, that summer with Bern Hinckley ’75, Tim Wheeler ’75, and John Jenkins ’74. That climb was all Fred: quiet ambition, careful planning and preparation, and brilliant execution. It was a testament to his love of the outdoors.

In recent years, Fred took pleasure in leading Appalachian Mountain Club hikes and ski touring adventures, mostly in northern New England. His many hikes, whether in his beloved Vermont, New Hampshire, or Lisa’s home state of Hawaii, were highlights of his weekends and vacations.

In addition to Lisa and their children, four of Fred’s siblings survive him. We share their sadness at the loss of this good man.

 

Class Year: 
Undergraduate Class of 1975