Obituary of Richard Lewis Smith

Richard passed away peacefully at his home in Las Vegas, Nevada after a two-year courageous journey with cancer. Born in Tacoma, Washington he returned to his mothers' hometown of Capitola when he was 7 years old and became involved at St. Joseph's Church where he received his first communion and became an altar boy. After graduating from Santa Cruz High he joined the Air Force, and during that time met his first wife Kristin (Olney). He was an avid hanglider until he traded his glider in for a dining room table after his second wife Emily (Nahnsen) became pregnant with their first child while they lived in Los Gatos. After their other 2 children were born the family moved to Boulder Creek and Rick started a management career with Philips in the semiconductor division that lasted over 20 years. Rick loved to hike, and after retirement moved from Boulder Creek to Georgia to Las Vegas and hiked as many trails as he could find including every trail in the Red Rock Park near his home in Nevada. He loved his family and had a special place in his heart for his grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents Elizabeth A. (Millang) Tyler and Richard E. Smith. He was survived by his three children, Jonathan and wife Elise, Timothy and Allison Smith, his grandchildren Mason, Nolan and Easton Smith, his siblings Elizabeth (Owen) Gladfelder, Jorgane (Jim) Skinner, Mary (David) Mellow, David (Elizabeth) Tyler, and many nieces and nephews. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Wednesday, July 10th at 1pm at St. Joseph's Catholic Church; 435 Monterey Ave. Interment will follow at Mount Carmel Cemetery, Aptos, CA.