Donald Smith, father of David Smith(Anne-Marie), Brian Smith (Dana) and Amie Nester(Brad) passed on December 3, 2021 from complications due to shingles.  Don is preceded in death by his parents Lloyd and Anna and is survived by his devoted wife of 56 years, Annette, and brother, Evan.  After a lifetime of community involvement and civic duty, his greatest joy was his ten grandchildren.  He was born in Annapolis, grew up in Eastport and spent most of his life living in Arnold.  He graduated from Annapolis High School, received a Bachelors degree from Frostburg State College, and a Masters degree from Loyola University. He was the Principal of Freetown, Belvedere, and Sunset Elementary schools.  While at Belvedere, he pioneered one of the first latchkey programs in the county.  Don's career as an educator touched the lives of tens of thousands of children in Anne Arundel County.  He was known for his efforts to encourage kids to read, including reciting the Gettysburg Address fully costumed as Abraham Lincoln including beard, from the roof of Belvedere Elementary.

After retirement as a principal, he ran the student teacher program at UMBC and represented the Principals union.

Don was very active in the community.  He participated in many civic and fraternal organizations. He was instrumental in the founding of the Lower Magothy Beach Association, the Arnold Jaycees, and Broadneck Elks #2608, serving in leadership positions all of those organizations.  He was a charter member and contributed to the formation of Gloria Dei! Lutheran Church where he served as council president, sang in the choir and directed the Sunday School program.  He also worked to form Boy Scout troop 995 in Arnold and served as Assistant Scout Master.

Don held other leadership roles in the community, including president of the Bay Hills Community Association, Worshipful Master of Annapolis Masonic Lodge, Present of the Annapolis Shrine Club, President of the Severna Park Rotary Club, and Noble Grand of the Odd Fellows Metropolis Lodge. Always very active in local politics, Don had attempted to run for the MD House of Delegates in 1980 and was narrowly defeated in his district.

He was an avid golfer, chauffer for his daughter's Indoor Guard, videographer for the Broadneck Football Games and the Broadneck Marching Band.

In his spare time, Don enjoyed working in the yard, earning Yard of the Year in his neighborhood so many times they made him the judge.  A source of pride was his Koi Pond, where his grandkids would always ask, "Pop Pop, can we feed the fish?"  Later in life, spending time with his grandkids, either at his house in Arnold, or at his Beach House in Ocean City was the most important thing in the world to him.

Family and friends may visit on Thursday December 9th, from 2-4 and 6-8pm at Barranco Funeral Home, 495 Ritchie Hwy, Severna Park MD 21146.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, December 10th, 2021 at 11am at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church 461 College Pkwy, Arnold, MD 21012 with burial to follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens, 1911 Forest Dr, Annapolis, MD 21401.

Memorials in his name may be made to the Shriners Hospitals for Children: https://donate.lovetotherescue.org/give/119312/#!/donation/checkout?c_src=lttr-home