Obituary of Roswell Smith

Schenectady, New York Roswell Smith, long time Rockland County resident, died at his apartment in Schenectady, NY on Saturday, May 16 at age eighty-five. His wife Mary, children Connie, Doug, Nancy, and Christine, and ten grandchildren survive him. Roswell was born in Glens Falls, NY and raised in several upstate New York towns. He graduated from East Syracuse High School in 1940. His college years were interspersed with Navy service during WWII, finishing with a degree from Syracuse University in 1948. He then began a career in journalism, taking a reporter position with the Ramapo Valley Independent in Suffern, NY. While living in Suffern he met Mary Maxfield and they married in 1951. They lived for ten years in Highland Park and Milltown, NJ while Ros worked for the New Brunswick Home News and Elizabeth Journal. In his late twenties Ros was bitten by the skiing bug, and he took up the sport with a passion. He joined the Raritan Valley Ski Club and later took first aid training to join the National Ski Patrol which allowed him to make skiing an affordable recreation for his family. In 1963 Ros accepted a job in communications and public relations for General Foods (later Kraft). He and Mary settled in Nanuet, New York where they raised their family and lived for the next 45 years. At sixty-two he was able to retire and take his amateur acting hobby to a professional level. Ros continued acting and skiing until he suffered a stroke at age seventy-five. Ros also had a love for the game of bridge, playing regularly in duplicate bridge tournaments and for pleasure whenever a foursome was to be had. He continued his bridge playing after his stroke, truly one of his favorite pastimes. Roswell and Mary moved to the Capital district in 2007 to be closer to their children and grandchildren. Roswell and Mary were elders and active members of the Nauraushaun Presbyterian Church in Pearl River, NY during their years living in Nanuet. A memorial service will be held there at a date to be determined. In lieu of flowers, a memorial contribution can be made in Roswell's name to the Nauraushaun Memorial Fund, Nauraushaun Presbyterian Church, 51 Sickletown Road, Pearl River, NY 10965.