DAVID BROOKS SMOYER

SMOYER, David Brooks Of Jamaica Plain, passed away peacefully on June 1, from complications of dementia. He was 82. Devoted to his wife, Mary, their 58th anniversary was June 1, and to their children's families, David relished sports, travel and community. He was a master conversationalist, always interested in the adventures and minutia of the lives of friends and family. Born on New Year's Eve 1941 in Akron, Ohio, David was very proud of his roots there, the birthplace of his parents, Stanley Smoyer and Barbara Brooks Smoyer. Inspired by memories of his visits with grandparents at Turkeyfoot Lake, he loved to swim in whatever open water, lake, river, ocean, he came upon. David grew up in Princeton, NJ and his treasured friendships from carefree days as a youth were a through-line in a journey full of enthusiastic competitions and spirited recreation in family rooms and out of doors, particularly during seaside summers in Marion, MA. David was raised to put education first and he followed up his many accomplishments as a student by spending most of his career working for schools. He attended Princeton Country Day, Phillips Andover, '59, Dartmouth, '63 and Harvard Law, '66. At Dartmouth, he earned nine varsity letters, in soccer, squash and tennis. A goalkeeper in soccer, he was named to the 1962 All-America first team. David practiced law for only six months before returning to his first love: sports. He worked for the North American Soccer League, in the athletic departments at Yale and Swarthmore and at the Roxbury Latin School in West Roxbury. Of these, it was at Roxbury Latin where he found a home, immersing himself in its community during and outside school hours An energetic and creative traveler, David visited 48 states, 40 countries and six continents. His favorite countries were France and Egypt, He was known to leave home with only a backpack and a reservation for the first night. He was an outgoing tourist and loved talking with anyone he met, resulting in warm connections across the globe. A highlight was taking his seven grandchildren, as each reached age 10, on a trip of their choice. Born a Cleveland Indians fan, David was at the Polo Grounds when Willie Mays' famous 1954 World Series catch foiled Cleveland. But he later worked in concessions at Candlestick Park, after the Giants moved to San Francisco and became a huge admirer of Mays and San Francisco itself, where he and Mary would honeymoon. Adopting the Red Sox in the '70s, he was in Fenway for Game 6 of the '75 World Series. He attended a men's World Cup in France, Wimbledon in England, the British Open in Scotland, the Olympics in Atlanta and Los Angeles. Inspired by his time as the Swarthmore women's soccer coach, he was swept up in the U.S. frenzy around the 1999 women's World Cup. He got to every Dartmouth game he could. At his most frequent haunt, Fenway, he usually would seek out a free, or almost free, ticket, putting up one finger in the air. Year after year, he kept a record: In 2004, he attended 31 games at the total cost of $72.20. In Boston, David volunteered at Squashbusters, the Hyde Square Task Force, the Cape Verdean Task Force and Beacon Academy. Living in Jamaica Plain for over 30 years, he loved museums, jogging, biking, tennis in Franklin Park and Carter Playground. He even swam once or twice in Jamaica Pond. David is survived by Mary Howland Smoyer; and their children, Laura (Christopher Myers), Amy (Jaime Muleiro) and Mark (Jennifer Reese); and grandchildren, Isabel, Edith, Joseph, Henry, Owen, Javier and Michael. He also leaves his sister, Nancy. He was predeceased by his sister, Janet and his brother, Bill. A Memorial Service is being planned for Autumn. Gifts in David's memory may be donated at Squashbusters.org

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