Ricard J. Smith

Richard J. Smith



So how to describe Rick Smith? Professionally, he was a fierce state and federal prosecutor and a compassionate federal administrative law judge. Personally, he was a scholar, writer, orator, poet, linocut artist, raconteur, traveler, paternal leader of a large widespread far-flung family of individualists, and lover of jazz, red beans and rice, chicory coffee and all things New Orleans, and a lover of cats and rivers. He considered himself the best tomato grower on Canyon Road. Santa Fe was his soul place. His favorite restaurant was The Compound, which he frequented for more than 40 years; his favorite bar was his friend Nick Klonis' Evangelo's, where the sailfish Rick caught in Mexico still hangs on the wall. When he retired in 2013 after working 44 years for the government, he celebrated with a black-tie dinner for three at The Compound with his wife Layne and son Todd; the next day a raucous party with old friends, family and Texas roadhouse and soul music at Evangelo's. Rick was born in 1944 to James Milnor Smith of New Orleans and Madelyn Morehouse Smith of Iowa. They came to New Mexico in the 1950s when the young FBI agent-- so the four children were told--was ordered by J. Edgar Hoover to "catch the Atomic Spy." Rick is survived by his wife Layne Vickers Smith of Santa Fe, and son Todd Nels Torkelson, of Eagan, Minnesota, his sister, Judy Calhoun Proffitt (James) of El Paso, and brother David Smith (Laurel) of Albuquerque, and extended family including many nieces and nephews. His parents and brother Ken Smith predeceased him. Rick was in the first graduating class of Albuquerque's Manzano High School in 1962, Princeton University class of 1966 and University of Texas Law School class of 1969. A state legal group presented him with a plaque proclaiming him a man of New Mexico, a judge of integrity. For those of us who loved him, he was a loyal son, friend, brother, husband, father figure, uncle. He died suddenly November 8, 2018. The family held a private celebration of his life in May at the Taos Junction Bridge, where he'd taught family members to whitewater raft the Rio Grande, his favorite river.