Obituary of Edwin Smith

On November 13, 2014 Ed Smith, our family guide, mentor and moral compass ended his final journey after 20 months of living well with pancreatic cancer. The concern and caring of our family, friends, neighbors and medical staff will be remembered with love. Ed lived in Eugene most of his life. Before Ed was born in Casper, Wyoming in 1933, his father Hubert Clare Smith became so impressed with the Oregon scenery as he traveled through to California on a troop train during WWI that he later often told his wife, Freda, that they were going to move to Oregon someday. Before he could realize his dream, Ed's father died of illness. After Ed's brother Hubert Clare Smith (Jiggs) was old enough to be on his own, Freda was free to follow her late husband's dream of moving with Ed, then 10, to Eugene, in 1943 to be with Wyoming friends who had already relocated here. Ed and his mother lived above her beauty salon on the site of the current U of 0 Book Store. He graduated from University High School (now part of the College of Education) and attended the Congregational Church (now the Bijou Theater), 4 blocks south of his mother's shop. He was truly raised by a community. Another great influence on his future were the summers spent on his uncle's ranches where he assisted with pack trips in the Big Horn Mountains out of Sheridan, Wyoming, herded horses though the mountains, helped uncles and cousins use an old mill to prepare the logs needed to build buildings on the Sheridan area ranches and the Big Horn Mountain property -- where the family gatherings are still held -- and helped with harvest on another uncle's Colorado ranch. In 1955, Ed proposed to Marjorie Gotter because, he said, "You make life interesting". The feeling was and still is mutual. They were married in the Congregational Church on 13th in 1956. In 1962 his degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Oregon initially resulted in a year designing landscaping for freeway interchanges and rest areas for the Oregon Highway Department. In 1963 he accepted a position with the City of Eugene Parks Department as their first full-time Landscape Architect. In 1964, Ed was named the Acting Parks Director, which later became permanent. Ed spent the remainder of his career with the City of Eugene. At this point, Ed decided he wanted a home he could live in for the rest of his life and the University area meant home, so they found the perfect house sitting on blocks at 19th and Emerald, and had it moved to 2645 Emerald where he raised his family and lived until his death. He lovingly tended to the house, constantly making improvements for 50 years. Under his direction, the Eugene Parks department developed two senior centers, increased services at Amazon Park, developed Sheldon Pool and Recreation Center, built an Olympic sized pool and a recreation center in Bethel and acquired land for the Ridgeline Trail and neighborhood parks. He worked with the legislature, Nature Conservancy and other resources to assist with the acquisition of land for Mt. Pisgah and establish the Willamette Greenway. In 1978, the Eugene City Manager called on a quiet Saturday morning to request that Ed be the Construction Manager for the new Eugene Performing Arts Center (Hult Center). That was followed by the position of director of the theater complex. Ed's last city position was Director of the combined Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services from 1989 to his retirement in 1992. Camping and traveling with family and friends to see much of our state, country and beyond reaffirmed for Ed his father's desire to live in Oregon. Retirement brought more time to enjoy fishing, golf and travel with friends and family. It has been a wonderful life. Ed's calm demeanor, wry wit, curiosity, smiling eyes and wise counsel were the evidence of a gentle soul. We love you and will always miss you, Ed. Your family: Marjorie, Gayle Smith-Deason (Dale), Jennifer Allen (Mark), Mitchell (Liza), Stewart (Daria); grandchildren Sarah Allen, Lisa LaPlante (Jacob), Carlenn, Brandon and Alexa Smith, and great-grandchild Evan Edwin Bryant LaPlante. A memorial service will be held Monday, Dec 29th at 2 pm at First Congregational Church, 23rd & Harris. Memorials to: Eugene Parks Foundation, PO Box 1168, Eugene, OR 97440-3818.Published in Eugene Register-Guard on Nov. 23, 2014