McMaster mourns loss of Alan Smith
[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/Smith_Alan.jpg” caption=”Alan Smith, a professor at McMaster for 32 years, passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 19. Photo courtesy of Carey Smith.”]Dr. Alan J. Smith C.D., B.S.A., M.Ed, D.Ed and professor emeritus at McMaster University passed away peacefully on Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2007 at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, Ontario.
Smith was associated with McMaster Physical Education and Athletics for 32 years as teacher, coach and administrator before retiring in 1983.
He was highly regarded and respected member of the community. The phrase most often used to describe Al was a “true gentleman.”
Smith was the first director of the McMaster School of Physical Education and Athletics.
The A.J. Smith Gymnasium in the Ivor Wynne Centre is named in recognition of his contribution to the McMaster community.
Smith was a star passer and kicker with the Ontario College of Agriculture (now the University of Guelph) in the late 1930s and played briefly with the Toronto Argonauts before spending four and a half years overseas as an air gunner.
After the war, he served as a successful football and basketball coach at Ottawa Technical School. Smith was recruited by Ivor Wynne as a full-time staff member and began coaching the McMaster football team in 1951.
During his tenure as head coach, the McMaster football team adopted the nickname “Marauders” and moved home football games from Civic Stadium to a campus field in 1956. The campus field would later add a field house, permanent bleachers and Press Box, and would later be named the Norman “Pinky” Lewis Field House and Les Prince Field.
Legend has it that he played one game with the Marauders when McMaster played in the Senior Ontario Rugby Football Union.
Smith was the beloved husband of Sylvia. Predeceased by his first
wife Jeanne. Loved father of Rick and his wife Sharron, Rossley and
her husband Robert Shields and Carey and his wife Lisa. Dear grandfather of Todd, Carley, Dayle and the late Dawn. Great-grandfather of Julia. Survived by his sisters Selene, Barbara and his brother Peter.
Visitation will be held at the Kopriva Taylor Community Funeral Home, 64 Lakeshore Road West, Oakville (one block east of Kerr, 905-844-2600) from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 23.
A service to celebrate the life of Alan will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 24 at St. Paul's United Church, 454 Rebecca Street,
Oakville, cremation to follow.
Condolences may be made through www.koprivataylor.com
