Walter Paul Smith

Walter Paul Smith Of Portola Valley, California, passed peacefully after a blessedly short battle with cancer at the age of 77. He was surrounded by his loving family. Walter is survived by his devoted wife, Doris, his daughters Jennifer and Courtney, his step-daughters Julie and Suzanne, grandchildren Cassidy, Jack and Matthew, and brother Frank and sister-in-law Linda, along with his many nieces, nephews and dear friends. Walter was born in Kingston, New York, the second son of Walter Sr. and Lisa. He rose from his humble beginnings to attend Syracuse University and Harvard Business School. In between he proudly served as a lieutenant in the Air Force. After business school, Walter worked for the Longview Fiber Company and Dundee Cement before settling into the high-tech industry in the Bay Area of California. He worked for IBM, Quantum Science and Input before starting his own company, Prognostics, in 1981, where he developed an innovative formula for analyzing customer satisfaction. In 1997, he sold Prognostics, giving him time to pursue his many passions. He travelled extensively with Doris, painted well and often, worked tirelessly- and joyfully- on his golf game, all while keeping his friends and family entertained with a seemingly endless stream of jokes and stories. Walter will be remembered as an extraordinarily generous man, in every sense of the word. A celebration of Walter's life will be held on Friday, November 13 from 4-7pm at the Ranch House at Portola Valley Ranch located at 1 Indian Crossing, Portola Valley, 94028. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the American Cancer Society.