Dwight Smith

Smith, Dwight
SLINGERLANDS - Dwight Chichester Smith, Jr. of Slingerlands, died peacefully from complications of heart failure on August 7, 2023, at the age of 93. Dwight is survived by his wife of 70 years, Rachel Stryker Smith, three sons, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Born in 1930 in Bellingham, Washington, Dwight spent his childhood in Washington State and Edinburgh, Scotland. He graduated from Yale University in 1951 and earned a Master's Degree in Public Administration from Syracuse University in 1952.
Dwight met Rachel Stryker in Washington, D.C., where they were both working. They became engaged two weeks later and married in July 1953. The marriage lasted over 70 years and was still vibrant when Dwight died.
He served in the U.S. Army for three years. After completing his Army service, Dwight joined the Maryland Budget Division in the Health Department and Welfare Department. While in Baltimore, two sons were born, Dwight III in 1955 and Gerald in 1957. His third son, David, was born in 1961 in Bloomington, Ind.
In 1965, the family moved to Albany, and he began a second career as a criminologist. An internationally recognized criminologist, Dwight wrote The Mafia Mystique in 1975. He authored dozens of articles and reports for both agencies and students in the fields of systems development and organized crime.
Dwight and Rachel were avid travelers. After their sons were grown, Dwight and Rachel took more leisurely trips at least once a year across the world. Skiers into their late 80s, they made several winter trips to the Alps in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland.
In the view of his family, Dad should be remembered not only for his distinguished professional career but also for his abiding Christian faith and lifelong passion for serving his fellow man. The son of a minister, Dwight was active in the Presbyterian Church throughout his life. As a Presbyterian Elder he served on the General Assembly's Task Force on Human Sexuality in 1975, which recommended radical inclusion of all persons of faith. Dwight also frequently served as an escort for Planned Parenthood clinic clients.
Every task he approached and each challenge he faced bore his stamp of irreproachable goodness, honesty and compassion. His humility and self-awareness were hallmarks of his personality and serve as a beacon for those fortunate enough to have witnessed any facet of his life.
To say that he will be missed by many is understated homage to a man who lived his life ensuring that the world is far better a place due to his presence in it. The loving family he raised, the thousands who learned at the confluence of his intellect and wisdom and the countless beneficiaries of his compassion and understanding of the human condition, all share in the celebration of a life dedicated to the pursuit of the good.