Alan H. Smith

AMHERST - Alan H. Smith, 95, a resident of Applewood in Amherst, died peacefully on Monday, June 13, 2015, after a short illness. He will be remembered by all who knew him as a generous and humorous spirit, a fine storyteller, and a witty punster, sometimes in more than one language.

Alan was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and attended private school at Girard College in Philadelphia. He met his wife Ruth Zimmerman, who became an artist and art teacher, at Bucknell College in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, marrying her in 1944.

He served in navy intelligence during World War II in Istanbul, Turkey, a posting which he considered to be a great stroke of luck, among many others. Toward the end of the war, he served in the Pacific as well.

After completing a master's degree in history at Columbia after the war, Alan taught college English at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in upstate New York. He then settled to make a long-term career as an editor at the Encyclopedia Americana with the Grolier Corporation in New York City and then in Danbury, Connecticut, at first commuting from Pluckemin and then Basking Ridge, New Jersey, and later living in Woodbury, Connecticut. After 35 years with Grolier, he retired as editor-in-chief of the Encyclopedia Americana in 1985.

After their retirements, Alan and Ruth moved to Groton, to be closer to their daughter. Alan became a significant caretaker for his wife during a long illness which terminated in her death in 2006. In early 2008, he moved to Amherst with Winifred Zimmerman.

He leaves his loving daughter Jill Smith of Watertown, his dedicated partner Winifred Zimmerman of Amherst, and many nephews and nieces for whom he was a favorite uncle. His cardiologist nephew John Zimmerman and wife Kathy were especially supportive in the last few years.

Alan loved tennis, opera and other classical music and movies and was a loyal supporter of the Oakland Athletics baseball team. His humor and flair as a wordsmith and storyteller will be much missed.

Memorial donations may be made to Bucknell University and Girard College.

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