Vivian Smith

Vivian S. Smith, Ph.D., died Monday, July 27, 2009. She was born in 1920 in Brooklyn, New York. She received her Bachelor's degree in Zoology, Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa, from Hunter College at the age of 19. Following graduation, she studied parasitic disease at Johns Hopkins University as a special student. However, she was told that she could not be admitted to the graduate program because she was a woman. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at the age of 23. There she met Philip E. Smith and they were married in 1942. Following Phil's service in WWII, the couple moved to Baltimore, where Phil earned his Ph.D. at Johns Hopkins. His career took them to Oklahoma in 1949. For many years, while Phil taught parasitology and became Associate Dean of the OU College of Medicine, Vivian taught comparative anatomy and invertebrate zoology at Oklahoma City University. While her daughters were young, Vivian volunteered her time as a Blue Bird and Camp Fire Girl leader. When Vivian and Phil's three oldest daughters were in college and the youngest was a teen, Vivian began to find her true passion in life. In 1970, she accepted a position as health manpower coordinator in a grant-funded program at the OU Health Sciences Center. Her landmark 1976-1982 studies of licensure of health personnel in Oklahoma were published by the university. In 1980, Vivian was a member of a group which organized the Oklahoma Alliance on Aging as a statewide coalition of organizations, agencies, and individuals. She served as chairman of the Alliance from 1982 to 1984. Following Phil's retirement as Dean of the College of Allied Health, he joined Vivian in working with the Alliance on Aging. Together, they developed and published the Alliance newsletter. Vivian served on the Governor's Advisory Committee on Aging, the State Medicaid Advisory Committee, the Oklahoma Interagency Task Force for Health and Manpower Data, the AARP Capitol Task Force, the DHS Medical Advisory Committee, the State Health Department's Long Term Care Facility Board and its Alzheimer's Research Advisory Council, and the state legislature's Interim Task Force on Welfare and Medicaid Reform. She frequently testified before state legislative committees, tirelessly advocating for the needs of the elderly. Vivian was a founding member of the volunteer Board of Directors for the Daily Living Center, which from 1974 to 1982 was the only day health center for the impaired elderly in the state. She wrote many of the grants which kept the Alliance on Aging and the Daily Living Center operating. Over the years, Vivian was recognized with numerous awards, including the Donna Nigh Award, established in 1989 by the Department of Human Service to recognize Oklahomans who use their position in the public arena to voluntarily enrich the lives of fellow Oklahomans in need. In 1998, Vivian and Phil selected Spanish Cove Retirement Community as their home. Phil died shortly after they moved, but Vivian continued to live independently in their apartment until she needed more assistance. She and her family have been grateful for the devoted care and friendship of the staff at Spanish Cove. The family would also like to thank Frontier Hospice for making Vivian comfortable in her final days. Vivian is survived by her four daughters; Diane Hainsworth (Reed) of Syracuse, NY, Nancy Friot (Stephen) of Edmond, OK, Sally Ruhl (David) of Edmond, OK, and Ellen Hempling of Oklahoma City. She is also survived by six grandchildren; Adam Hempling, Charlotte Hainsworth Moore (Mike), Emily Hainsworth Martorano (Stefan), Andy Friot (Elena), Lauren Ruhl, and Natalie Ruhl. In November, 2008, Vivian was able to hold her first great grandchild, Audrey Moore, in her arms. A memorial service will be held on Thursday evening, July 30, at 7:00 pm, at First Unitarian Church, 600 NW 13th, OKC, OK. In lieu of flowers, the family request that contributions be made in Vivian's memory to: The Daily Living Centers, Inc., 3200 NW 48th Street, OKC, OK 73112, or to the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, whose research scientists are making progress toward a cure for Alzheimer`s disease, 825 NE 13th Street, OKC, OK 73104.