Obituary: Evan Smith 1945-2022
Saturday, December 31, 2022
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| Evan Smith 1945-2022 |
The son of Bernard and Esther (Davies) Smith, Evan was born in 1945 in Seattle.
His maternal grandfather, Thomas Davies, an immigrant from Wales, was a pioneering figure in Snohomish County and a special influence on Evan, who came to share his grandfather’s gentle nature and his community-minded spirit.
A graduate of Marysville High School in 1963, and Whitman College in 1967, Evan majored in history and was a Northwest Conference All Star in cross country and track multiple times. He was co-captain of Whitman’s cross country team that finished third in the 1966 NAIA National Cross Country Championships, and individually finished sixth in the steeplechase in the 1967 NAIA National Track Championships.
A graduate of Marysville High School in 1963, and Whitman College in 1967, Evan majored in history and was a Northwest Conference All Star in cross country and track multiple times. He was co-captain of Whitman’s cross country team that finished third in the 1966 NAIA National Cross Country Championships, and individually finished sixth in the steeplechase in the 1967 NAIA National Track Championships.
Evan still holds two Whitman records – for the two-mile run and distance medley relay. He was known for his commitment to Whitman Athletics and wrote a sports column for The Pioneer, then the college newspaper. The opening line of his column was always “How’s every little thing?” – a phrase he’d continue to say for the rest of his life with a gleam in his eye when inquiring how others were doing.
After graduation, Evan co-founded the Snohomish Track Club in 1968 and would continue to run in the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, and the 1968 Olympic Trials. He stayed involved in the sport his whole life, coaching track for decades at the collegiate and high school levels, even after his illness robbed him of his ability to run. His passion for the sport never waned; during his final years, the TV was always tuned to track events such as in the Olympics or the World Athletics Championships.
Evan trained with the legendary Steve Prefontaine at the University of Oregon while earning a master’s degree in communications (and would later lament the Ducks’ devolution from a running school to a football school).
More than a decade later, he earned a law degree from Case Western Reserve University. As a professor at Kent State University, Ohio Wesleyan University, Southern Illinois University, and University of Alaska - Fairbanks, Evan taught journalism, history, and law during the 1970s, ’80s, and ’90s.
At the end of 1990, he returned to the Northwest with his family. Although MS increasingly limited his mobility, he remained committed to writing, coaching, and leading in the community. He was active in his church and his childrens’ school district, coaching high school and middle school track from his wheelchair.
After graduation, Evan co-founded the Snohomish Track Club in 1968 and would continue to run in the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, and the 1968 Olympic Trials. He stayed involved in the sport his whole life, coaching track for decades at the collegiate and high school levels, even after his illness robbed him of his ability to run. His passion for the sport never waned; during his final years, the TV was always tuned to track events such as in the Olympics or the World Athletics Championships.
Evan trained with the legendary Steve Prefontaine at the University of Oregon while earning a master’s degree in communications (and would later lament the Ducks’ devolution from a running school to a football school).
More than a decade later, he earned a law degree from Case Western Reserve University. As a professor at Kent State University, Ohio Wesleyan University, Southern Illinois University, and University of Alaska - Fairbanks, Evan taught journalism, history, and law during the 1970s, ’80s, and ’90s.
At the end of 1990, he returned to the Northwest with his family. Although MS increasingly limited his mobility, he remained committed to writing, coaching, and leading in the community. He was active in his church and his childrens’ school district, coaching high school and middle school track from his wheelchair.
Evan wrote news and opinion columns for local news outlets – he co-founded the Shoreline Week which eventually became part of the Everett Herald-owned Enterprise newspapers, where he was Forum Editor.
Later, he was a co-founder of the Shoreline Area News online publication, where he covered local politics under his byline and local sports in unattributed articles, for over a decade. He was a mentor to the editor, sharing his knowledge of everything from story layout, to suggested topics, to the use of punctuation in headlines.
In 1998, at his daughter’s nomination, Evan was named Father of the Year by the National MS Society’s Greater Washington Chapter, where he volunteered his time to mentor those newly diagnosed with the disease. Evan never let his illness define him: he was optimistic, upbeat, and full of self-described “vim and vigor.” When asked how he was doing, he always answered “Well, except for a little case of MS, I’m just fine!”
Evan is survived by his wife of 41 years, Barbara Schechter, daughter Ellen Gardner (Adam), son Jared, grandson Wyatt, granddaughter Emma, and countless other family members, friends, and caregivers who fell in love with his wonderful (albeit interminable) stories and bad puns.
In 1998, at his daughter’s nomination, Evan was named Father of the Year by the National MS Society’s Greater Washington Chapter, where he volunteered his time to mentor those newly diagnosed with the disease. Evan never let his illness define him: he was optimistic, upbeat, and full of self-described “vim and vigor.” When asked how he was doing, he always answered “Well, except for a little case of MS, I’m just fine!”
Evan is survived by his wife of 41 years, Barbara Schechter, daughter Ellen Gardner (Adam), son Jared, grandson Wyatt, granddaughter Emma, and countless other family members, friends, and caregivers who fell in love with his wonderful (albeit interminable) stories and bad puns.
He imparted to his children his passion for history and sports and his attention to current political events. Those who spent time with him will remember his friendly nature, sense of humor, intellect and, most of all, his courage and determination to live a full life in the face of a cruel, incurable disease. Those qualities and his memory will forever inspire all who were lucky enough to know him.
A memorial service will be held at 2pm on Saturday, January 28, 2023 at Richmond Beach Congregational Church. Those who knew and loved Evan are invited to come and share stories – he loved nothing more than telling and listening to good ones.
In lieu of flowers, please contribute to the Evan Smith Fund for Cross Country and Track at Whitman College at give.whitman.edu/smith, which will support the program that meant so much to him and his lifelong teammates. Others might consider subscribing to their local newspaper and reading it regularly in Evan’s honor.
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4 comments:
Wow, he will be missed. I remember often reading his columns and his sense of the politics in the early days of "Shoreline, the city," were uncanny. I had not seen a column in some time and had wondered what had happened. Rest in peace, Evan, your work was appreciated.
While attending the 1972 Track and Field Olympic Trials at the University of Oregon, one of the highlights of each day was reading Evan's write-up in the University of Oregon Daily newspaper. He had a way with words, written and spoken. Thanks for the memories. -- Bob Langenbach, President, Snohomish Track Club
I am crushed. Evan and I became friends in 1961 as members of the Everett Elks summer track club which welcomed runners from throughout Snohomish County. In 1967, along with Jim Freeman, we created the Snohomish Track Club. Jim passed away ten days after Evan. Anyone reading the obit who did not know Evan would think the writer took considerable liberties in embellishment. Not so. It's all true. Taking his illness in stride? Ask him how he has been doing, the response was always positive. Informed that I'd heard he'd been the hospital, he once responded, "Well, I had this hole it the base of my spine," and then go on to explain the long process in detail as if he were writing about the third quarter of a football game. Endless stories? He would take over ten minutes to describe how he cleared 6 feet, 8 inches in the high jump. "I rocked forward. I rocked back. I looked at the bar. I rocked forward. I rocked back." And so it went. Evan Smith was the real deal. Few will ever forget him.
I knew Evan through Richmond Beach Congregational Church. He showed me what true strength was. I grew to love him, while listening to his stories. He was a dear man, who, as has already been said, was always optimistic. He taught me what it really means to live life because Evan always lived his life to the maximum.
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