SMITH, Richard Burges
Richard Burges Smith, 48, died from Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma on June 29, 2011 at his home in San Francisco. He was the son of Burges and Clare Brett Smith of Farmington and was born in Hartford, Connecticut on September 19, 1962. Richard graduated in 1980 from The Putney School in Vermont, where he served on the Board of Trustees in the 1990s, and earned his bachelor's degree in 1985 from Wesleyan University in Connecticut. He received his master's degree from The School of Cinema-Television at the University of Southern California in 1988, from which he launched his screen writing career, before moving to San Francisco. Richard was a writer, director and creative director of digital media and live events and a member of the Writers Guild of America. His prolific work spanned a novel, "Freezer Burn", a comic misadventure highlighting Richard's dry humor, and Hollywood screenwriting assignments including "The World is Not Enough" and "GoldenEye" from the James Bond film series and "Lock Up", an action thriller released in 1989 which he wrote. He also created immersive media for trade shows and experiential installations for museums and worked with numerous corporate clients including Applied Materials, Cisco Systems, Google, The History Channel, Medtronic, Sling Media and Zynga. Richard was undeniably a master of his craft. For decades, his talents remained in high demand by San Francisco production companies, including Camp Creative, Group Delphi and The Kenwood Group. A rare polymath, he was revered by his peers as a brilliant creative mind and a dedicated collaborator, with an elastic intellectual capacity. Richard was a life-long tennis player and member of San Francisco's California Tennis Club, a seasoned sailor and member of the Inverness Yacht Club. He loved music, was a talented musician and lead guitarist for the band Nooner. He was an enthusiastic outdoorsman, a resourceful carpenter and builder, and an accomplished aviator, surfer and skier. Richard was also a much adored coach for his daughters' soccer teams. He had a zest for life and a passion to explore and experience it to the fullest. His life was full of professional and personal integrity which will have an enduring influence on the San Francisco production community, on his dear friends and on his large and loving family. He will be terribly missed, but his enthusiasm for life will last as an inspiration and his memory will never fade to black. Richard is survived by his wife of 20 years, Mariana Schwartz and three daughters, Ana Clare, 18, Eva, 12 and Stella, 9; his mother, Clare Smith; sisters Missy Smith, Francie Brown (Tim Smith)MarcieCorrea (John); brothers Sandy Brown(Lucy Cornwell), Toby Brown and Alden Smith (Tim Lyman). In addition Richard left behind an extended, loving family of in-laws and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father Burges Smith in 2008.
A memorial service was held at St. Mary the Virgin, 2325 Union Street in San Francisco on Friday, July 8. A small private family memorial will be held on Sunday, August 28, 2011 at the home of Clare Smith in Farmington, Connecticut. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Surfrider Foundation, www.surfrider.org or The Putney School, www.putneyschool.org .
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2 Entries
Oh, Ritz. You were my first true friend at Wes - and a terrible influence, in all the very best ways. I've never forgotten how you and your family took me in, nor how many of your warm and inspiring friends, the world over, welcomed me with open arms... simply because I was tagging along with someone as obviously special as you.
I regret that we lost touch - but am incredibly gratified to learn what a creative, full, loving life you made for yourself; no one who knew you would have expected anything less.
You did so well, my old friend. Love to those who miss you most.
T. Calhoun
Friend
September 19, 2016
I went to college with Richard & attended an unforgettable birthday at his house (wasn't there a large intestinal contraption filled with children & wasn't there a gong?). I remember his elegant mother listening to music on a Walkman, which, believe it or not, was very advanced technologically at the time. I am so sorry to hear of his passing; I admired him; I thought of him as a model for how to behave, how I wanted to be. I lost touch after college. Wesleyan created great individuals with integrity & I can see Richard was such a man. My prayers and thoughts are with his daughters, wife and family. I am an Anglican priest living in Madrid and tomorrow morning I will say prayers for my old friend.
Spencer Reece
April 25, 2012
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