[Dialogue] Completed life of Dick Smyres

Thu Nov 1 10:52:05 EDT 2007

Thank you, Ron.  Dick was active in helping with many Town Meetings. His ability to "read" people and situations, his sense of humor and steady support were wonderful.  One of the last times that Abe and I worked with him was before their move to Florida.  He asked us to come and help with strategic planning for their church in Stroudsburg, PA.  He said, "There's a split in the church between people who have always lived in this community and 'newcomers' - people who have moved to the Poconos from NY city either as retirees or even as commuters.  We have to find a common vision that will pull the congregation together."  The planning weekend was prepared with unusual care. In a campaign over 6 months or more, Dick and his long-range planning committee had gathered data re people's vision for the future of the church from conversations with every church-related group. They had also had the congregation fill out simple questionnaires during several worship services. This was all done before Dick ever contacted us - it was his plan.  The data was sent to us several weeks in advance. So the congregation was able to start with a pull-together of that wide and thoughtful input, reach consensus on broad directions, and develop action plans.  Abe and I did not track the outcome closely, but did receive a couple of progress reports from Dick indicating victories along with frustrations.  He and Ethyl were great to work with, and Dick's steady leadership and ability to continue to recontext their long-range goals was a very valuable gift to that congregation.  I'm sure that wherever they went Dick and Ethyl made fine contributions.  In my book, Dick Smyres is one of the many "saints" of EI/ICA/O:E.

Janice Ulangca
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Ron Griffith 
  To: 'Colleague Dialogue' ; oe at wedgeblade.net 
  Sent: Wednesday, October 31, 2007 11:23 PM
  Subject: [Dialogue] Completed life of Dick Smyres

  Many of you knew Dick Smyres - a colleague in the New York Region. I worked with him at Bell Laboratories in Whippany, New Jersey and attended RS-I with him in 1968. Beret and I worked with Dick and Ethel in the New York Region for many years including helping with the gut-rehab of the former Roman Catholic school in the Lower East Side that became the New York Religious House. He was notorious for the chili that he served to those of us who attend countless meetings at his home in Morris Plains, New Jersey. His commitment, his steadfastness and his humor inspired all who worked with him. His obituary is below.

  Ethel may be reached at ethric at bellsouth.net or PO Box 1062, Penny Farms, FL 32079.

  Ron Griffith

  Richard Philip Smyres

  June 23, 1927 - October 19, 2007

  Dick was born in Congo, Africa, the middle child of the five children of Methodist missionaries Roy and Esther Smyres.

  Dick and his first wife, Joan Allison had three children: Steven Smyres of McCoy, Colorado; Elizabeth Freeman of Burlington, Vermont; and Janie Tuerck of Auburn, New Hampshire. Their mother died in 1969. 

  In 1973 Dick's sister, Margaret Stockwell, introduced Dick to a close friend, Ethel Wagner. They were married in1974. Ethel's children, Richard Wagner of Denver, Colorado, Robert Wagner of Three Oaks, Michigan and Kathleen Wagner Smith of Berea, Ohio became a part of Dick's family. 

  Upon discharge from the Navy, Dick attended Sampson College, Hunter College and R.C.A. Institute of Engineering. Following employment in Manhattan, New York, he was recruited by Bell Labs of A.T.& T. specializing in underwater cable development. He remained at Bell Labs in Whippany, New Jersey for thirty-two years. Prior to his retirement Bell Labs transferred him to Lucent Technologies. 

  After retirement at sixty-six, he and Ethel planned and assisted in the building of their dream house in The Poconos They remained in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania until they moved to Penney Retirement Community three and a half years ago. 

  Dick was afflicted by an undiagnosed illness for many years. Only in 2005 was it correctly diagnosed as Myasthenia Gravis.

  Throughout his final illness he still maintained his marvelous sense of humor. Dick loved camping, canoeing, hiking, traveling and woodworking. His concern for the less fortunate, lead him to become involved in tutoring, leading workshops, working in soup kitchens, and directing the building of a complex for the homeless. 

  Dick is survived by his wife, Ethel Wagner Smyres, their six children and eleven grandchildren, and by his brothers and sisters: Robert Smyres, of Penney Farms, Margaret Stockwell of Asheville, North Carolina, Mary Leonard, of Skaneateles, New York and Ruth Zecchini, of Lyndeborough, New Hampshire.

  A celebration of Dick's life will be held at Penney Memorial Church

  on Saturday, November 10th at 2:00 p.m. 

   In lieu of flowers, you may send contributions to: Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America, Inc., 

  1821 University Avenue-W, Ste S-256, St. Paul, Minnesota, 55104-2897.

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