Dan L. Smith

1938 - 2019

Dan L. Smith
January 6, 1938 - December 19, 2019
Resident of Sunnyvale, CA
Danlee Louis Smith was born in Tacoma, WA, to Louis Philip Smith and Miriam Myrtle Faulkner Smith. His family lived in Tacoma and Spokane during his childhood, and settled on a farm in Connell, WA, when he was a teen. He graduated from Connell High School and earned a degree in mathematics from Washington State College (now WSU).
Dan was a pioneering computer programmer in the aerospace industry. He worked for Lockheed Missiles and Space Company in Sunnyvale (now Lockheed Martin) for 34 years, except for a two-year stint in the Peace Corps in the late 1960s. His Peace Corps service was in Chile, where he originated the first courses in computer programming at two major universities. For Dan, the best part of his career was the last 13 years, when he became an instructor in programming and system administration at LMSC.
Dan's major talent was photography, and his passion was travel. Traveling on his own, he explored Europe, the Middle East, Indonesia, and India (3 trips), taking photos wherever he went. Dan is survived by Jan Looper Smith, his wife, partner and biggest fan for 34 years. She shared his interest in travel and photography, and together they visited many of the national parks, state capitols, and scenic wonders in this country. When they retired in their mid-50s, Dan and Jan set out to see all the major art museums in the U.S. and Europe. Over the next 20 years, they toured and photographed 306 art museums world-wide, including 186 in the continental U.S. Between trips, they generated books and blogs and beloved holiday cards featuring Dan's photos. They were also active supporters of several art museums in the Bay Area.
Dan is also survived by his sister, Carol Smith Berry of Kennewick, WA, and his uncle Stanton Smith and his wife Marlene of Gig Harbor, WA, plus many cousins.
Friends and family are invited to an informal Memorial gathering on Saturday, January 18, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. at LIMA & CAMPAGNA SUNNYVALE MORTUARY, 1315 Hollenbeck Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA.


View the online memorial for Dan L. Smith