Frederick G. “Rick” Smith, 78, of Wilmington, Delaware, died Monday, May 10, 2021 of complications from Parkinson’s disease.
Rick was born in Ravenna, Ohio in 1943, the son of Robert and Lois (Hanson) Smith. He grew up in Kent, Ohio, where he was a graduate of Kent Roosevelt High School and Kent State University. He later earned an MBA from Ohio University.
Rick was a U.S. Army veteran, serving for one year as an Infantry Officer with the 2nd Infantry Division in Korea. His unit helped coordinate the release of the crew of the USS Pueblo, a spy ship captured by North Korean forces.
Following his military service, Rick enjoyed a 40-year career in finance with the E.I. DuPont Company. His DuPont career took the family to various locations from Ohio to Kentucky to West Virginia before finally settling in Delaware in 1979 to take a position at the company’s downtown Wilmington headquarters. His most recent role as an internal auditor with the CORIAN division covered most of the second half of his career, running from the early 1990s until his retirement in 2009.
Rick enjoyed many outdoor activities including hunting and fishing, and particularly enjoyed over 40 years of annual fly-in fishing trips to Northern Ontario with his business partner and other longtime Ohio friends from his youth. He was an avid runner until his knees would no longer permit it, at which point he took up cycling. He discovered Ocean City, Maryland in the early 1980s and began a yearly tradition of vacations there for the better part of 30 years. Rick also enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren, Zachary, Nolan, and Madeleine, and was proud of all they did. He particularly enjoyed attending their soccer games. Rick was a longtime fan of the Cleveland Indians, Cleveland Browns, and Ohio State Buckeyes.
Rick was predeceased by his parents. Survivors include his wife and best friend, Carole (Ludwig) Smith; his sons Michael and Brian (Mary) Smith, both of Wilmington; his grandchildren, and five siblings – sisters Kathy (Dave) Blair and Peggy Smith, and brothers Robert, David, and Jon Smith, all of Ohio.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Rick’s name may be made to the donor’s favorite charity.
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