Hale Smith

Hale Smith, 88 and his beloved wife of 63 years, Claire Fitzgerald Smith, 86, of Greenport, NY passed away within days of each other - he on February 26, 2024, from prostate cancer and she on March 1, 2024, from complications related to Alzheimer's.

Hale was born on September 30, 1935, to Margaret L. Smith and Hale G. Smith. Hale grew up in Rockville Centre, NY where he attended Southside High and then Lehigh University where he majored in Business. Claire was born on November 17, 1937, to Walter A. Fitzgerald and Claire T. Fitzgerald. Claire grew up in East Rockaway, NY, attended Sacred Heart Academy and then graduated from Marymount of Manhattan College with a degree in Psychology.

Hale and Claire met at Jones Beach where he was a lifeguard and she, a bathing beauty. They exchanged vows on December 9, 1961, and welcomed daughters Lisa and Robyn in 1963 and 1965. They moved into the family home of Claire's parents in East Rockaway, NY and raised Lisa and Robyn there.

Hale had a career in sales, but his true passions lay outside work. Hale welcomed retirement at 60 to more fully pursue his many interests and passions. He drove Claire into Queens to catch the subway to work each morning and picked her up many evenings in New York City where they explored a diverse cultural and culinary landscape savoring meals, often with friends and family, at top-notch restaurants as well as the hidden-gem, ethnic eateries Hale loved to discover. Ever sociable, Hale kept adding to their large group of friends with people he met from his boyhood in Rockville Center, lifeguarding, college, work, sailing, skiing, traveling, golfing, winters in Timber Pines, FL and, finally, at Peconic Landing, a continuing care community in Greenport, NY.

In 1975, when Lisa and Robyn were in middle school, Claire re-entered the job market and embraced the work world. After being snubbed by a Long Island placement agency as a "returning housewife," Claire secured her own employment as an assistant to an equity sales team at Goldman, Sachs & Co. After a highly successful career there of nearly 35 years, Claire retired in 2008 as a Vice President cherishing her tight-knit group of Goldman Sachs friends as an extended family. They, in turn, cherished her intelligence, judgement, devotion, good humor and out-of-this-world baking.

After retiring in her 70s, Claire faced a diagnosis of Alzheimer's but, with Hale's devotion and her own ever-buoyant personality, continued to enjoy life with Hale, with daughters Lisa and Robyn, Lisa's husband David Barr, grandchildren Haley Barr, Greer Little and Justin Barr, Hale's brother Win (deceased) and his wife Susan, niece Hilary, nephew Win and their extended family on both sides. Nothing made them happier than being G-ma and G-pa and sharing winter breaks in Florida, sailing in summers, skiing in winter, traveling, local college basketball games and vacations on Newfound Lake in New Hampshire with children, grandchildren, family and friends.

In 2015, Hale and Claire moved to Peconic Landing where Claire was surrounded by compassionate, loving nurses and aides and Hale could take her strolling to visit with the many friends they made there among residents and staff. Despite her decline, Claire maintained her ever-present smile and always had a school-girl giggle for Hale when he asked if she would be his girlfriend. Hale continued gathering friends and pursuing new interests in things like bridge and painting classes until he was no longer able to. In a case of complementary "opposites attract", Hale and Claire found enduring love and companionship and shared it with those around them. They will be dearly missed.

A funeral service for Hale and Claire will be held on June 21, 2024, at St. Raymond's Church in East Rockaway, NY at 9:45 am. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital - http://fundraising.stjude.org/goto/Hale_Claire_Smith_Memorial