Lasting Memories

Richard Dunham Smith
Dec. 5, 1929-June 17, 2019
Palo Alto, California

Richard Dunham Smith, at rest at the age of 89. Richard was born in 1929 to Mabel Dunham Smith and John A. Smith in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. Dick was the first member of his family to attend college, graduating from Rutgers University in 1951 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Magna Cum Laude and second in his class in the School of Engineering. He then attended Purdue University earning his Master’s Degree in 1953 and his Ph.D. in 1955.

As soon as Dick completed his studies, he joined the Air Force and was stationed at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, where the Air Force focused its research and development efforts for new jet engines and eventually the rocket program. He was a founding member of the team of six working on the newly formed Dyna-Soar space plane program in 1958 and was instrumental in the later development of the Titan III Solid Fuel Rocket.

In 1965, Dick founded Combustion Power Company, developing solutions to a variety of environmental problems: creating a co-generation facility which converted solid waste into electricity in a pollution-free manner; a facility which converted waste water into potable water and a dry scrubber which would eliminate the particulate matter from a factory smoke stack. Dick was quoted in the newspaper at the time saying “I wanted to use the knowledge that I had and the same advanced technology to do something more directly toward people.”

In later years, Dick helped to found companies in fields from biometrics to biotechnology and completed research for various groups including the Electric Power Research Institute.

While Dick was a talented engineer, inventor and entrepreneur, he also loved cars, wine, gourmet food, travel, skiing and sailing. He was a member of the Candy Store in Burlingame, a car enthusiast group, and loved nothing more than driving his vintage Ferrari at Laguna Seca race track, on the Virginia City Hill Climb or on the California Mille.

To Dick, life was an adventure to be lived to the fullest and thoroughly enjoyed. Even in his later years, he was always looking to the future and excited to explore and work toward a new goal.

Dick married Patricia Ann Garvin in 1962. She was the love of his life and they enjoyed 56 wonderful years together. After Pat passed away in 2018, Dick moved to Greenwich, CT to live with his daughter and son-in-law.

Dick passed away peacefully following a long illness. He is survived by his daughter, Jeannine Caruso of Greenwich, CT; son-in-law, Victor Caruso of Greenwich, CT; four grandchildren: Joseph Caruso, Alessandra Caruso, Nicholas Caruso and Meredith Knowles, and four great grandchildren.