Fred Smith passed away at Croasdaile Village in Durham NC on September 1, 2018, surrounded by his loving family. He was preceded in death by his parents, Fred George Smith and Agnes Melville Smith, his wife, Lurene (Laurie) Roman Smith, to whom he was married for 56 years, and his son Richard Smith. He is survived by his children Randall Smith and Cynthia Engelhardt, their spouses, Peggy Smith and Jonathan Engelhardt, six grandchildren, a grandson-in-law and a nephew. He is also survived by his wife Barbara (Bo) Strohbehn and her children, Sharon Stanford and William Stevens.
Fred was a native of California. Born in San Pedro, he spent his growing up years in Lone Pine. After receiving a Bachelors Degree in Public Health at UCLA, he entered the first class of the UCLA Medical School and received his MD in 1949. After further training in pediatrics and nephrology at UCLA Medical Center and the University of Minnesota Hospital in Minneapolis, he served as Chief of Pediatrics in the 1604th USAF Hospital in Bermuda. In 1960 he began his academic medical career at UCLA, teaching pediatrics and nephrology. In 1973 he and his family moved to Iowa City IA, where he became the Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics and the Director of the Children’s Hospital at the University of Iowa. In 1989, he and Laurie moved to Chapel Hill where Fred was named Vice President of the American Board of Pediatrics and did clinical work at UNC Chapel Hill. He retired in 2003. Dr. Smith was a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and served as President of the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology. His honors included the Founders Award of the American Pediatric Society, the UCLA School of Medicine Class of 1955 Outstanding Alumnus Award, and the James C. Taylor Teaching Award at the University of Iowa.
He and Laurie were world travelers, and enjoyed many trips to South America, Europe, the Far East, and Africa. He was an avid skier, fisherman, and sailor, and a student of bonsai. In recent years, Fred and Bo have lived at Croasdaile Village in Durham NC and enjoyed summers on Crystal Lake in Enfield, NH.
A memorial service will be held on Thursday, September 6 at 10:30 a.m. at Few Chapel, 2600 Croasdaile Farm Parkway. The family will receive friends following the service.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Benevolent Fund of Croasdaile Village c/o UMRH, 2600 Croasdaile Farm Parkway, Ste A-500, Durham NC 27705.
Shirley Wyrick
(October 16, 2018)
To Fred Smith’s Family,
I was greatly saddened to belatedly hear of Fred’s death. He was a wonderful person and my late husband Darrell Wyrick enjoyed the many annual trips that the “Hawleye Flying Fishing Club” took to NWT, Manitoba and Winnipeg with him. I kept Club records from 1971 up to 2011 and I see that Fred joined the Club of six men starting in 1983 and he attended each trip (with the exception of the Alaska trips in 2006) up through at least 2011 (when I no longer kept records). Although the group varied from time to time, Dick Hansen, Jerry Hilgenberg, Darrell and Fred were on those trips together. One of their favorite fishing camps was Brabant Lodge on the MacKenzie River, NWT. What great memories they shared! I understood that “debates” took place on their trips in addition to fish contests–a great use of the group’s magnificent brain power along with their competitive spirit!
I wish you strength and courage in times ahead.