George Ignatius Smith

Dr. George I. Smith, Jr. died on January 24, 2026 at the age of 91. Born July 31, 1934 in Frederick, Dr. Smith was the son of George I. Smith and Frances Staley Smith and the devoted husband of Carolyn Griffis Smith. Dr. Smith graduated from Frederick High School, received a B.A. degree from Washington and Lee University, where he met his future wife on a blind date. He graduated with a M.D. degree from the University of Maryland in 1960. Following two years of post-graduate training at University Hospital in Baltimore, Dr. Smith entered the U.S. Air Force where he completed his internal medicine training in Hawaii. After serving as Chief of Medicine at Vandenburg AFB in California and attaining the rank of major, Dr. Smith returned to Frederick and joined the internal medicine practice of Drs. Henry V. Chase and A. Austin Pearre, Jr. Together they founded Internal Medicine Assoc. During his years of practice, at times Dr. Smith served as President of the Frederick County Medical Society, Chief of Staff at Frederick Memorial Hospital, medical director of Homewood Retirement Center, Northhampton Manor, Meridian Nursing Home and Hospice of Frederick County. After 26 years of practice, Dr. Smith accepted a position at Frederick Memorial Hospital where he served 8 years as Vice-President of Medical Affairs.

Dr. Smith served on numerous boards during his life, amongst others, Frederick Community College, Friends of Baker Park, The Delaplaine Arts Center and the Frederick City Planning Commission, which he chaired for six years. Active and interested in politics, Dr. Smith ran unsuccessfully for The County Commission in 2002. Throughout his life, Dr. Smith maintained an interest in music, playing the banjo and singing in the local Dixieland band Fredex. His other interests included art, reading, tennis, puzzles and conviviality and conversation, as evidenced by his being a member of the Frederick Coffee Club.

Besides his wife of 66 years, Dr. Smith is survived by a son, Michael Timothy Smith and his longtime partner, Kimberly Lippincott, both of Frederick; a daughter, Catherine Anne Smith-Burdette of Frederick and her fiancé Eric Bokinsky of Pennsylvania; two grandchildren, Jack and Anna-Claire Burdette; a sister Frances Lucinda (Linda) Brown of Columbia, Md. and several nieces and their families.

There will be no visitation at the funeral home and the burial will be private. A Celebration of Life will be held at The Delaplaine Arts Center on a date to be determined. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials be given to the Community Foundation of Frederick County, where a fund has been established in the name of George and Carolyn Smith to benefit Frederick County students pursuing careers in medicine, The Friends of Baker Park and The Frederick Arts Council.

Arrangements are with The Keeney Basford Funeral Home.