Nicholas Arthur Smith, Sr.

Nicholas Arthur Smith, Sr., longtime resident of Colorado Springs, CO and Sewanee, TN, passed away on August 2, 2024 in his more recent place of residence in Orange County, CA, after a long illness, which he fought bravely and with good humor.

He was born on August 28, 1938 in Charlotte, NC and was raised in nearby Kings Mountain. He attended Kings Mountain High School and the Fishburne Military School after surviving a devastating case of polio in 1952 that led to his temporary confinement to an iron lung, proving his tenacity even at a young age. He was a graduate of the University of Tennessee School of Law, Duke University, and the University of the South School of Theology. His myriad career saw legal practice in North Carolina and Virginia and work in academia at universities in North Carolina, Tennessee, Massachusetts, and Colorado.

Once considered a rising star in the party, was the Republican nominee for Attorney General of North Carolina in 1972, at which time he became the first white candidate in a statewide election in North Carolina to employ an African-American campaign manager. He also served as the Director of the North Carolina Department of License and Enforcement, which oversaw all State Patrol and DMV operations statewide. He was particularly proud to have founded and run legal aid clinics serving the Eastern Band of the Cherokee tribal population in Cherokee, NC and the impoverished population of Roanoke, VA.

Later consulting work in the 1980s and 1990s took him to places as far afield as Western Europe, Indonesia, Japan, and the Komi Province of Russia. The new century found him studying theology, discovering a renewed sense of faith, which showed in his interactions with others. He was never found without a stack of books and a legal pad with notes on subjects as diverse as anthropology, bioethics, history, philosophy, international affairs, and religion, among others.

He loved traveling, opera, documentaries, roaring fireplaces, and exploring new ideas and knowledge up until his final days. He wore his heart on his sleeve, never hesitated to say "I love you," and was a friend and mentor to many. He will be missed by all who knew him.

He is survived by his four children, Nicholas A. Smith, Jr. (Antonia) of Philipsburg, NJ, Jocelyn Busby (Greg) of Memphis, TN, Edward Gideon Smith of Charlotte, NC, and Benjamin Woodford Smith (Karla) of Irvine, CA, as well as six grandchildren: Cole, Kathleen, Henry, Maxwell, Christina, and Vasilis and their spouses, and three great-grandchildren: Ann, Brantley, and Jennie, and his first wife, Carol Walker Jordan of Charlotte, NC.

He was predeceased by his parents, Edward A. Smith, Jr. and Eloise Moss Smith, older brother Edward H. Smith, and his second wife, Susan Woodford Smith of Colorado Springs, with whom he maintained a close friendship until her death in 2005 despite their amicable 1993 divorce, having stepped away from his pursuits temporarily to serve as one of her caretakers during her final illness.

He shared his life with numerous dogs who were faithful companions over many decades, beginning with Happy, a much loved Cocker Spaniel in his childhood, and concluding with Juno, an Aussie mix who was his traveling companion on many road trips around America prior to his illness and was a comforting presence for him after it descended upon him. Most recently he enjoyed visiting with his son's Terrier mix Edie, whom he affectionately referred to as his "granddog."

The family wishes to extend special thanks to the staff of the Stanley Healthcare Center in Westminster, CA, which was his home for several years, as well as to The Rev. Charles Sumners, formerly of Colorado Springs, CO, and The Rev. Nathan Biornstad of Huntington Beach, CA, who each provided great spiritual comfort to him over the long years of his illness.

Memorial contributions may be made in lieu of flowers to St. Wilfrid's of York Episcopal Church in Huntington Beach, CA, the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region in Colorado Springs, CO, or the Mauny Memorial Library in Kings Mountain, NC, where his lifelong love of learning was born.

A memorial service will be held on September 28, 2024 at 11:00 AM at St. Wilfrid's of York Episcopal Church in Huntington Beach, CA. It will be live-streamed for those unable to attend in person.