Richard “Dick” Phillip Smith, age 64, passed from this life Friday, March 1 surrounded by his family and loved ones. The family will be celebrating his life with a memorial service Tuesday, March 5th at 11 am at the Hoover Church of Christ, 3248 Lorna Road, Hoover, Alabama 35216. He was born February 22, 1960 in Birmingham, Alabama as the fourth of eleven children to Walton and Elizabeth Smith. He stayed very close to his family, and his “Tugboat” put it well by saying “He is everything to all of us”. He grew up in Birmingham where he met his wife, Becky. He had four biological children, Kim, Josh, Laura, and Kellie, but he also had many more that he called his own.
He was known by all to be a hard worker. He started his career at Burnham sweeping floors. His strong personality and leadership led him to a position of manager where he retired as a Senior Logistics Manager at Ryder after a long and successful career. His favorite hobbies were rewatching his favorite sci-fi movies, cheering for Alabama football, and spending time with his family. If you spent any time talking to him, you heard all about his kids and grandkids whom he loved with all his heart.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Walton and Elizabeth, his brother, Paul, two nephews, Little Timmy and James Lucas, and one niece, Diana .
Richard is survived by his wife, Becky, his children, Kim, Laura and her husband, Adam, Josh and his wife, Emily, Kellie and her husband, Chance, 10 grandchildren: Summer, Autumn, Anthony, Grayson, Cooper, Claire, Owen, Palmer, Emmeline, and Wells, 1 great grandchild: Summaya, and 9 siblings: Mike and his wife, Tammy, David and his wife, Mary, Alice and her husband, Ricky, Mark, Teresa and her husband, Kirk, Beth Ann, Tim and his wife, Pam, Nancy and her husband, Dennis, and Sue and her husband, Dan.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be given to begin a fund for his diabetic buddy and grandson, Grayson Hicks. This fund will be for a support dog and other medical related expenses. Funds can be donated through Venmo – https://venmo.com/u/GraysonT1DFund
