Roy Smudde

1941 - 2020

On Wednesday, May 13, 2020, Roy Smudde, DDS, loving husband, father and grandfather, passed away at age 78. Roy was born in September 1941, in Racine, Wisconsin, to Theodore and Elizabeth Smudde. He graduated from Paul C. Schulte High School in Terre Haute, Indiana, in 1958. He went on to obtain his undergraduate degree from Indiana State University and then received his dental degree from Indiana University in 1966. He enlisted in the Army in the fall of 1966 and was stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington. He served as a Captain of a medevac unit that was deployed to Pleiku, Vietnam, until his honorable discharge in 1968. He then opened a dental practice in Terra Haute at 1608 Lafayette Ave, the current location of Smudde Family Dentistry, owned and operated by his niece Dr. Meredeth Gray, DDS, and daughter to his late brother Dr. Carl Smudde, DDS. Roy was married to Antonia Calderon from 1962 until 1984 and had two sons, Allen and Ted, and a daughter, Antonia. Roy moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1975, where he practiced dentistry until his retirement in 2015. On November 24, 1999, Roy married Carol Walker-Vachalek. Roy and Carol were partners in their dental practice, Geneva Dentistry, and worked together side by side to serve dental patients throughout the Unites States and Internationally. Roy passed away in his home in Valencia, California. with his loving wife Carol Smudde, who had been selflessly caring and tending to him as his health declined. Roy had a passion for dentistry and was considered an innovator in the field of removable prosthetics. He lectured in the US and around the globe, traveling to Europe, Japan, China, Canada and Mexico teaching dental professionals how to improve the quality of care for patients. He spent his career with one goal: to improve the quality of lives by restoring people's smiles. He was the first of a long line of dental professionals in our family and paved the way for four dentists (brother Carl, son Allen, niece Meredeth and granddaughter Katina) and four hygienists (niece's Debbie, Dawn and Christian and granddaughter Kianna). Roy was preceded in death by his father, Theodore, his mother Elizabeth, and his brothers, Donnie and Carl. He is survived by his wife Carol; his children Antonia, Allen, Ted and step-daughter Natalie; his sister Marilyn; brother Glenn; and eight grandchildren Katina, Kallen, Kianna, Kierra, Kathryn, Kameryn, Isabela, and Asia. Roy's remains will be cremated and interned at the Veterans Los Angeles National Cemetery at 950 S. Sepulveda Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90049. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his memory to Indiana Mission of Mercy Free Dental Care @ www.indianamom.org.