E. David Smith, Jr. ’58

E. David Smith, Jr., Weaverville, NC (formerly of East Hampton, CT), died August 10, 2024.

Born in Connecticut, the youngest of five, Dave was a regional radio star as a child, playing the ukulele and singing for a Hartford CT, station in the early 1940s.

In high school he met Elaine — they dated and continuing a long-distance courtship while he attended and graduated from Saint Michael’s while she completed college at Seton Hill in PA. They wed in the summer of 1959.

After completing his Saint Michael’s business administration degree, Dave began a long career in insurance, joining the Hartford Insurance Group as an underwriter in 1959 and then becoming president and co-owner of Butler’s Insurance Agency in Middletown, CT. He was a Trustee of St. Patrick Church and served in East Hampton on the Water Pollution Control Authority and the Board of Education.

After selling Butler’s in 1986, Dave and Elaine moved to Richmond VA, where he joined Maryland Insurance Group. As his job responsibilities changed and grew, they relocated to Carroll Valley, PA and then Baltimore, MD. In 1996 they moved to Asheville, NC, becoming active in their parish. Dave finished out his insurance career as company in-house Risk Manager for DuPont Agfa in Brevard, NC, and Exo-Pac in Spartanburg, SC.

In retirement they enjoyed spending time with their four grandchildren. Along with humor and love of laughter, Dave and Elaine succeeded in passing to their offspring their values of education and hard work, of service to community, and of fighting for social justice.

His wife of 65 years, Elaine, died July 23, 2024, just 18 days before Dave. They are survived by four sons, a daughter and extended family.