Richard Leon Smith

Richard Leon Smith, 75, of Easton, MD, and Naples, FL, passed away peacefully at his home with family by his side on February 14, 2023. Richard was born in Easton on February 19, 1947, the son of Joseph Carroll and Grace Smith (Balderson). He was the youngest of six children. Richard grew up in Oxford, MD, and graduated from Easton High School Class of 1965. After graduation, he enlisted in the Army National Guard. After discharge from the Guard, he went to work for DuPont in Seaford, DE. Later he joined Waverly Press in Easton where he worked as Production Control Manager. After leaving Waverly, he went to work at Higgins and Spencer in St. Michaels, MD, until he retired in 2011. He then worked part-time at Hog Neck Golf Course in Easton. He also had a small picture framing business in his home for many years. Richard enjoyed hunting, fishing, playing golf, and building Kentucky rifles in his spare time. He served for many years on the Talbot County Emergency Services Advisory Board and the Oxford Cemetery Board. He was a life member with the Easton Elks Lodge 1622 and was a member of the American Legion. He joined the Oxford volunteer Fire Department in 1965. From this early experience, the volunteer fire service became a lifelong passion for him advocating for their causes locally and statewide. Richard served in many capacities for 58 years. He became chief in Oxford in 1975, he served as delegate to the MD State Firemens Assn. He served as President of the Eastern Shore Volunteer Firefighters Assn., and President of Talbot County Fire and Rescue Assn. He was also made an honorary member of Eldorado Brookview Fire Co. He worked with the Maryland State Firemen’s Association as a member of the Executive Committee, Chair of the Hall of Fame Committee, Chair of the Legislative Committee, and Vice-Chair of the Sprinkler Committee. Richard was placed in the MSFA Hall of Fame, he was honored with the Sen Wm H. Amoss Memorial Legislative Award and in 2017 and received the Gladhill Thompson Award. In 2018, he received Fire Sprinkler Advocate of the year from the American Fire Sprinkler Association. Richard is survived by his wife Cynthia (Cindy); stepchildren, J. Corey Schmidt of Preston, MD, and Rebecca Schmidt of Rockville, MD; two sisters, Carol (Cookie) Crickenberger and husband Albert Griffith of Federalsburg, MD, and Eleanor (Petie) Anderson and husband Jim of Trinity, FL. He was preceded in death by his brother, J. Philemon Smith, and sisters, Shirley Merryweather and Ione Nichols. A visitation will be held on Saturday, March 4, from 10 a.m. until 12 p.m. at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, on Peachblossom Road, Easton, where a funeral service will take place at 12 p.m. Interment with military and fire department honors will follow at Oxford Cemetery, Oxford, MD. Serving as pallbearers are: Hank Duncan, Joe Duncan, J. Corey Schmidt, P.J. Dyott, Dave Keller and Jamie McNeal. Honorary Pallbearers will be: Honorable James E. Malone, Jr., Robert A. Murphy, Judge Philip Carey Foster and Phillip Stovall At Richard’s request, in lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Oxford Volunteer Fire Company, 300 Oxford Rd, Oxford, MD 21654 or Maryland Fire-Rescue Services Memorial Foundation, PO Box 742, Annapolis, MD 21404.

Richard Leon Smith

February 19, 1947 - February 14, 2023