Obituary
Frederick Oliver Smith, MD, formerly of Clearwater, FL and beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, passed away peacefully on May 7, 2016, after a long illness, at home in the Villages, FL, surrounded by family. Fred’s unique and quintessential combination of compassion, kindness, generosity, intellect, and wit were tremendous gifts to everyone around him and will be missed deeply by all who knew him.
Fred’s journey began in 1935, when he was born in Orange, NJ to Cecil R. (Jack) Smith and Helen Hadley Little Smith. He moved to St. Petersburg, FL during his senior year, graduating from St. Petersburg High in 1953. He then went to the University of Florida, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration while in ROTC and as a member of Phi Kappa Tau fraternity. He graduated in 1958.
Fred then served in the United States Army as a paratrooper and trainer. After his service he returned to the University of Florida for medical school, graduating in 1964. While in medical school he married Sandra Ann Fleming, with whom he later had two children, Carol L. Smith and Bonnie J. Smith. Fred adored each of his children and was enormously proud of both of them.
After medical school and completing his internship and residency in Baltimore, MD, and Jacksonville, FL, Fred opened up his general practitioner medical practice in Tarpon Springs, FL. In 1971 he joined Mease Hospital, where he attended patients until 1985. While at Mease, Fred served on the Board of Directors of the hospital as the physician representative.
Fred will be remembered for his compassionate, respectful, and exceptionally competent care of his patients. Fred generously gave of his time and expertise to all of his patients and treated everyone with the highest standards regardless of their ability to pay.
Fred was also loving, generous, and engaged with his family, serving as a Girl Scout leader for his daughters’ Junior troop. He took the girls camping and helped the girls to earn numerous badges. Fred also pursued various activities for himself, running track in high school and later earning the President’s Physical Fitness Award for swimming by completing it in his 10-yard backyard pool. He also loved boating, teaching, adventure, hiking, golf, reading, space, history, and good conversation with beloved family and friends
After retiring from private practice, Fred moved to Chapel Hill, NC, where he enjoyed his role as an extra in the movie “Bull Durham”. While in Chapel Hill, Fred worked for ClinTrials and Quintiles as a physician expert on clinical trials. Fred’s contributions of intelligence, expertise, incisiveness, and levity were all appreciated and admired by his coworkers and clients in the corporate world. Many of his coworkers and clients later became friends.
In 2004, Fred moved to The Villages, FL, with his wife Chandra Louise, PhD, where he continued to share his expertise, intelligence, and humor with the corporate world as a medical consultant to the pharmaceutical industry.
Fred was well-known for his wit, puns, and ability to entertain small and large groups with his energetic, engaging, and humorous speaking style. Fred was uniquely attuned and sensitive to others and was
sufficiently flexible and spontaneous to be the life of the party or to shine the spotlight elsewhere depending on the needs of a situation. Fred exemplified a joy, positive attitude, and zest for life that remained with him throughout his life, even as illness made his life more difficult.
Fred is survived by his wife, Chandra Louise, PhD; his former wife Sandra A.Smith; daughters, Carol L. Smith (husband Richard C. Moore II) and Bonnie J. Smith, PhD (wife Audrey Greene); granddaughters Caroline Moore and Evers Greene; grandson Benjamin Moore; sisters Jayne deMontmollin (husband Harry deMontmollin) and Beth Ann Smith; and brother Jim Smith (wife Sheila Tournet Smith and their children). Services will be private.
In lieu of flowers please contribute to the charity of your choice in his honor and live your life with the honesty, love, integrity, compassion, generosity, and kindness that Fred embodied and cherished.
I am so sorry to hear of your loss. I am a former co-worker of Dr. Smith's from Quintiles. Dr. Smith was the physician expert and trainer for a clinical trial that I worked on back in 1999. Dr. Smith really stood out in my now 20 years of working in the industry. Most people and corporate situations in the biotech/pharma industry are very dry and serious. I will always fondly remember how Dr. Smith made trainings fun and interesting with his comedic style. At the same time, he also made it a comfortable and non-intimidating setting in which to learn. Being a fairly new graduate back then, this was very much appreciated. The senior leaders could really learn from Dr. Smith's style and approach!
Warm regards,
Anne Cahill Hansen