Richard Smith

Richard H. “Dick” Smith, age 93, of Church Street in St. Johnsbury and longtime Danville resident, passed away at the St. Johnsbury Health & Rehabilitation Center on Monday July 4, 2016, following a period of lingering illness.

Richard was born in Marshfield, VT, on January 12, 1923, the first of three children to the late Norman G. and Leona (Bullock) Smith.  He was raised and educated in Calais and finished his education graduating from Danville High School with the Class of 1941. He enlisted in the VT National Guard in 1950 and was sworn into federal service by September of that year. He served at Camp Pickett, VA, with the 43rd Division and was stationed in Germany in November 1951 as part of the Army of Occupation with NATO.  After his release to the inactive VT National Guard,  he and his wife, Thelma, returned to the farm in Danville in February 1952. He then transferred to the active National Guard and served until he had acquired an accumulated 21 years of service before retiring.

Dick was a Public Servant and belonged to many organizations over the years. He was a member of the Knights of Pythias for over 70 years and was past Supreme Representative to the Supreme Lodge, the Vermont Farm Bureau, the 43rd Infantry Div. Vet’s Assoc., American Legion, VFW, and the Assoc. of Uniformed Services.  In local community service, he was a Justice of the Peace for 16 two year terms, was selectman for 10 ½ years, and zoning administrator for 4 ½ years.  Dick served three two year terms in the VT House of Representatives and worked as a dairy farmer for a living. The last 16 years before retirement, he worked as an agricultural equipment salesman.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 64 years, M. Thelma (Wilson) Smith of St. Johnsbury, 3 children: Mark W. Smith of Montpelier, Pamela Smith of St. Johnsbury, Gayle Keach and her husband, Dwayne, of St. Johnsbury, a brother: Stewart and his wife, Cecile, also of St. Johnsbury, 3 grandchildren: Laura Brasseur and husband Ian, John “JJ” Robie, Jr. and wife Christina, Joellyn Smith and fiancé, John Rhodes IV, and 4 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by 2 children from a previous marriage:  Richard Brucker and his wife, Fran, of CA and Madeline Marzullo and her husband, Joe, of CT.

He was predeceased by a sister: Elizabeth R. (Smith) Keach in 1972.

Funeral services will be held at 9AM on Tuesday, July 12, 2016, at the Sayles Funeral Home, 525 Summer Street in St. Johnsbury.  Interment with military honors will follow at 1PM at the Veteran’s Cemetery in Randolph, VT, with John Sleeper officiating.

Memorial donations, marked for Hospice, may be made in Dick’s name to Caledonia Home Health, 161 Sherman Drive, St. Johnsbury, VT 05819.

Condolences may be shared with the family at www.saylesfh.com