Richard Lewis Smith USCGR

A funeral mass for Captain Richard Lewis Smith, USCGR, will be held on Thursday, August 29, 2013 at 10:00 AM at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Flint with Father Timothy Kelly officiating. Inurnment will be on Thursday, August 29, 2013 at 3:15 PM at DFW National Cemetery in Dallas under the direction of Stewart Family Funeral Home. Richard Lewis Smith, age 79, passed away suddenly, on August 11, 2013, while on vacation in Rhode Island. He was born on November 24, 1933, in Providence, RI, to Clayton and Mildred B Smith. Dick grew up in Cranston, RI. He graduated from Cranston High School in 1951. After high school he joined the Navy and served during the Korean War. After his tour of duty was completed, he attended the University of Rhode Island where he received a Bachelor’s of Science in Insurance. He began his insurance career with the Fireman’s Fund in Boston, Massachusetts in 1957, which took him across the country ultimately finishing his insurance career with ELANY, the Excess Line Association of New York in 1997. Dick joined the Coast Guard Reserve in 1960 as a Lieutenant and served in many different states and retired as a Captain after 23 years. Dick met his wife in Providence, RI, in 1953, while she was attending Rhode Island Hospital School of Nursing. Dick married Joan Manning in 1956 in Folsom, California. They were happily married for 57 years. Mr. Smith was a member of St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church. Dick is survived by his spouse Joan of Tyler; daughter, Deborah (Michael) Burns of Plano; sons, Richard Smith, Jr (Jill) and David (Melissa) Smith; grandchildren, Robert (Jennifer) Burns of Dallas, Patrick Burns of Houston, Kayla Smith and Clayton Smith of Rosemount, MN, Hannah Smith, Olivia Smith, Claire Smith, and William Smith of Milton, GA; sister-in-laws, Janice McHugh and Joyce Harrison; brother-in-law, Russell Harrison and numerous nieces and nephews in California. Visitation will be on Wednesday, August 28, 2013 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at Stewart Family Funeral Home, 7525 Old Jacksonville Highway in Tyler. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations be made to Faith in Practice, 7500 Beechnut St., Suite 208, Houston, Texas 77074, SMRS-Meadow Lake Foundation, 10644 CR 165, Tyler, Texas 75703 or a charity of your choice.

Richard Lewis Smith USCGR

November 24, 1933 - August 11, 2013