Daniel C. Smith

Obituary Daniel C. Smith Dan Smith died Sunday, September 25, 2005, at age 89, after a bout of pneumonia. He spent a peaceful final weekend in the hospital surrounded by family. He loved people and ideas, and demonstrated his high energy and commitment in all his relationships, as a friend, father, husband, lawyer, mentor, corporate officer, law teacher, law firm partner, tennis player, bridge player, book group participant, and volunteer and board member for a number of educational, professional, social, and community service organizations. He came to Tacoma in 1950 with his wife Louise to join the law department at Weyerhaeuser, and rose to the position of Vice President and General Counsel. In 1976 he went back to Chicago to become VP and General Counsel of FMC, another Fortune 500 company. He was proud that he was able to bring so many talented and interesting people to his law departments. After he retired from FMC in 1981, he and Louise returned to Tacoma where he was connected by enduring friendships to the end of his life. Although he was twice retired Dan joined the faculty at the UPS Law School and founded the law firm of Smith Alling Lane. Dan is survived by his wife Carol Anderson, his eight children, twelve grandchildren, three great grandchildren, and his twin sister Helen Kunz. Dan's values of strong relationships and hard work reflected his life experience, which started on a dry wheat farm east of Spokane, where he lived until age 11 when his father died. His mother then returned to Chicago to raise her three children while working as a high school classics teacher. All three children went to the University of Chicago on scholarships, while living at home. Dan studied philosophy with Mortimer Adler, loved the camaraderie of his fraternity, and embraced the University of Chicago ideals of liberal education, critical thinking, and active citizenship. In Tacoma he found many enjoyable ways to contribute to the community -- as a leader in great books discussion groups, the Tennis Club, the Tacoma Club, the Eliot Club, the Pierce County Mental Health Association, the Washington State Historical Society, Bellarmine, The Food Connection, and St. Leo Parish. He loved leading family activities like family swim at the Y, skiing at White Pass and Crystal, songs and word games in the car, bedtime and campfire stories, and many games, usually involving a racquet or a deck of cards. He worked hard at everything he did, and took a genuine interest in everyone he met. He considered himself most fortunate in his two wonderful marriages, to Louise until she died in 1995, and then to Carol, and in their close connections to so many fine friends. The funeral mass will be on Saturday, October 1, at 12 noon at St. Leo's. Donations in memory of Dan are suggested to St. Leo's Church for The Food Connection, 710 S. 13th St., Tacoma WA 98405 or the University of Chicago, (memo line Louise & DC Smith Scholarship Fund) 5801 S. Ellis, Chicago, IL 60637. Please leave online condolences at www.gaffneyfuneralhome.com. Arrangements by Gaffney Funeral Home, 253-572-6003.