Dr. Alan B. Smith

1932 - 2018

Dr. Alan Bradford Smith, of Lincoln, died peacefully on Friday, August 3, 2018, following a long illness. He was 86. Alan was born in Karuizawa, Japan on July 28, 1932 to Bradford and Marion Collins Smith. He received his BS degree in Electrical Engineering from Swarthmore College in 1953 and his M.E.E. degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1959. He received his Ph.D. degree in Applied Physics from Harvard University in 1966. He worked as an engineer at Sprague Electric Company in North Adams, MA, from 1953-1959. After earning his Ph.D. he joined the Sperry Research Center in Sudbury, MA, as a Research Scientist in 1965. When the Research Center closed in 1984, he went to work for Digital in Maynard, MA and later, Quantum in Shrewsbury, MA. Dr. Smith was a senior member of the IEEE, the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He earned seven patents and was the author of many scientific papers. Alans hobbies included repair and restoration of antique radios and collection of old time radio recordings. He also enjoyed all aspects of home construction and maintenance, automobile repair, jogging, swimming and skiing. Alan could often be found helping his sons fix their cars and musical equipment when they were in high school, college and later their first houses. Although he was diagnosed with Parkinsons in 1987, he did not let this disease limit him in his work or family life. Alan is survived by his devoted wife of 61 years, Marjorie (Beebe) Smith. During most of the last eleven years of his life, Marjorie was his loving primary caregiver. He is also survived by his son Bradford, his wife Lauren, and their children Joshua and Johanna of Westborough, MA, and son John, his wife Denise, and their children Christopher, Jackson and Chloe, also of Westborough, MA. Family and friends will celebrate his life on Sunday, August 26th from 2 to 4 pm in the Heritage Room of the Colonial Inn, 48 Monument Square, Concord, MA. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation to help find a cure for Parkinsons disease (www.michaeljfox.org). Arrangements are under the care of Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord. To share a remembrance or to send a condolence in Alans online guestbook, please visit www.DeeFuneralHome.com.