Richard Townsend Smith, Sr.

Richard Townsend Smith Sr of Topsfield MA died suddenly Sunday March 8, 2020 at Beverly Hospital after a brief illness. He was 88.
“Dick,” as he was fondly known, is survived by his wife of 62 years Mrs Judith Anne Mitchell Smith originally of Portland ME.
Born in Poughkeepsie NY he was the eldest of six children born to the late Theodore Townsend and Helen Elizabeth (Vargosha) Smith. He is survived by his brothers Ronald Harry Smith and Robert Steven Smith, both of New York and his sister Joan (Smith) Doremus of Raleigh NC. He is predeceased by his sister Elizabeth “Betty” Helen (Smith) Espie and youngest brother Doug Williams Smith, also of New York.

While attending Arlington High School in Lagrangeville NY he enlisted in the Army National Guard, played Varsity Football and earned the rank of Eagle Scout from the Boys Scouts of America. After graduation and completing his initial obligation he enlisted full time into the United States Army. There he served as Sergeant First Class in the Airborne while in Korea. After the war he moved to Westbrook ME seeking employment. It was here that he met his future bride. They were married six months later on December 7, 1957 in Portland ME. Once he began raising children he was determined to start a business of his own. He moved his young family to Massachusetts, where he established RT Smith Inc, a diesel truck repair operation. Dick was an extremely strong, hard working man. He rarely, if ever, missed a day. He meticulously ran his shop with pride until he finally closed its doors in 2000 at the age of 68. Even then he refused to retire and continued working various jobs up until his death, never missing a beat. His last place of employment was down the street with the children of Proctor Elementary School in Topsfield MA. He happily served as their Crossing Guard and Recess Monitor. Those kids meant the world to him.
Always busy, Dick got involved with various activities and organizations over the years. He was a Veteran of Foreign Wars, Scout Master to the Boy Scouts of America Troop 68, active in the American Legion, and a long term member of the trustees of the First Church in Ipswich where he also served as Head Usher. He lifted weights and ate fresh wholesome food everyday. To relax he enjoyed seek-a-word puzzles, deliberately circling each individual letter to reveal the clue.
Richard is survived by his three children and their families: Richard T Smith Jr of Groveland MA and his sons Andrew and Lucas; Stephen W Smith, his fiancé Cathy Doe of Topsfield MA and his children Nicole (Smith) Lian, Christine, Genevieve (Junie) and Greyson; Karen G Paget (Smith) of Ipswich MA, her husband Colin and their children Viktoria and Theodore, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorial Service and reception originally scheduled for Saturday May 9, 2020 1PM at the First Church in Ipswich have been postponed until further notice.

Assisting the Smith family is the Morris Funeral Home of Ipswich.

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