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Richard Smith's Obituary
A celebration of Dr. Richard W. Smith's life will be held on Sunday, Sept 28th, at 2 p.m. in the Benes Room in the Ohio Wesleyan University Hamilton-Williams Campus Center. Dr. Smith died at the age of 101 on July 1st.
Dr. Smith's ties to Delaware and OWU ran deep. He lived here for 75 years, arriving in the summer of 1950 to teach American history at OWU, retiring in 1986.
His mother, Mary J. Smith, nee Williams, a 1917 graduate, came from a farm in Clinton County. A life-long member of The Monnett Club of female graduates, she brought him to campus for her 10 year class reunions starting in 1927.
Dr. Smith met his wife, Betty Jackson (Class of 1952), on campus, using his beloved brother, David H. Smith (Class of 1953), and his Delt fraternity brothers to scout if Betty was single. Two of Dr. Smith's granddaughters are OWU graduates, Jennifer Ripper (2014) and Rachel Lantz (2022), one of his nieces, Rachel Smith Alternative (1988, as well as Jennifer's husband, Alex Lothstein (2015).
The OWU Alumni Association recognized Dr. Smith's active support for the college in 2005 by making him an Honorary Alumnus.
Please join the Smith family in person or online for the service: https://www.owu.edu/about/ follow-owu/stream-owu/special-events/september-28-2025-celebration-of-life-professor emeritus-richard-w-smith/.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Richard Smith's
1 Entry
Connie Jones Maguire
September 26, 2025
I loved Dr. Smith's American history class. He introduced me to authors like Bruce Catton! He was an excellent teacher! I may be wrong, but I think he later purchased our home at 197 N. Sandusky Street which my mother had remodeled. That home was next door to Mr. Fitchorn who created the black song flute which we all learned before picking an and instrument to play.
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