Zackary MacCune Smith

1958 - 2024

Gifted software engineer and father of three dies at the age of 65.
Zackary MacCune Smith was born on October 15, 1958, in Rochester, Minnesota to writer Lola Chadwick and family farmer John Guy Smith. After his parents joined the Peace Corps, Zack, the middle child between two sisters, and his family lived in Ecuador and then the Dominican Republic. Post Peace Corps, they moved to Anita, IA and then Sacramento, CA, while also spending summers in Schenectady, NY. The family settled in Washington, DC in 1968, a period where Zack also worked on his father's Guatemalan melon and okra farm throughout his teenage years.
After graduating from DC Public Schools in 1977, he served in the U.S. Army as a Specialist 4th Class Combat Engineer in the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, NC (now Fort Liberty) until 1980. Using the GI Bill, he attended Iowa State University, graduating in 1985 with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and a Minor in Horticulture. Shortly after, he began his 40-year career as a software developer. Proficient in over 60 systems and databases, Zack navigated the tech sector's booms and busts, the start-ups and successes, the failures and advancements - always making the most of any circumstance as evidenced by a period of self-employment with his own company Zackary Smith & Associates, in which he served as president, secretary, treasurer and sole board member, and by his consecutive positions with Racal-Guardata, Cable & Wireless, ACT Networks, Gemplex Internet, AOL, Entourage Systems, Tollgrade Communications, UNiSYS and, most recently, on SAIC's back-end engineering team serving U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Zack and Tina Marie Gantz married in April 1995 and moved to Berlin, Germany for a temporary work assignment returning to DC after a year. A dedicated family man, Zack and Tina had three children: twins Tyler and Samantha born in 1996, and son Tucker born in 1997 raising them in Fairfax, VA. Zack's passions included his family, DC's sports teams, national parks and traveling with his partner of the last seven years, Veronica Spina. Although Zack was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer, he persevered through his illness. He continued working, which he described as providing the satisfaction of solving a complex puzzle. He traversed Zion with his children and organized many camping excursions. He spent time with loved ones and kept up the tradition of poker games with his friends.
Zack died July 25, 2024. He is survived by his children, Tyler Smith, Samantha Smith, and Tucker Smith; siblings, Jessica Smith (m. Paul Krupa) and Abigail Smith; ex-wife Tina Marie Gantz; partner Veronica Spina; cousins Bruce Feustel (m. Joyce Eder) and George Smith; many Chadwick relatives; and his cat Krash. In lieu of flowers the family asks that you donate to the National Park Foundation as a tribute to Zack. Go to https://give.nationalparks.org. A celebration of Zack's life will be held at 12:30 p.m. on August 24, 2024 at 3999 University Dr, Fairfax, VA 22030.