Obituary of Richard C. Smithmen

Richard C. Smithmen Jr. Dick unfortunately lost his battle with a rare bone marrow disease, myelofibrosis, on Monday, November 19, 2012 just 3 days before his 66th birthday. Thankfully he had two good years after his diagnosis to enjoy his life. He was able to watch his grandsons grow, spend time with family and friends, especially at those picnics he liked to put on, spend a lot of time on his lawnmower as he sped along content to be outside and doing his thing, sit outside on the steps with his beer and cigarettes just relaxing, improve his use of colorful language when his golf game did not go as planned, or when those NY Giants games were not going well, go to the Lawnmower Center several times a week to help out or just enjoy time, with the good friends he met there especially Rich Falls, survive the terrible puppyhood of his golden retriever, Darby and see him turn into a wonderful companion with only a couple of lingering bad habits, enjoy the sights and sound of NYC and those great delis on his monthly, medical trips to Sloan Kettering, devote time to helping out others. Dick was born Novemeber 22, 1946 to Richard C and Marion T (Fuller) Smithmen in Johnson City, NY. He was raised on Elmira’s Southside where he met his wife, Ruth when he was 12 years old. They were married on March 23, 1968 and had 32 wonderful years building their life together and raising their sons until her death on February 11, 2000. Dick enlisted in the Marine Corps in April 1966, served in Vietnam and was discharged in November of 1969. He worked at Thatcher Glass from 1969 until 1985. He then went to work for the NYS Department of Corrections at the Elmira prison until his retirement in 2007. Dick also spent many years pursuing his love of sports by coaching in the Horseheads Babe Ruth League and teaching his sons to golf. His only regret was that the boys became really good golfers and beat him on a regular basis. In November of 2001 Dick’s neighbor, introduced him to Cicely Johnston with whom he would spend the remainder of his life. They had a happy, loving relationship that filled the void left by the loss of their previous spouses. They shared all the ups and downs and were able to accept each other “as is”. Dick’s sons, Rick and Mike, feel lucky and blessed that their father was able to marry two exceptional women in one lifetime. Dick will be remembered as a kind, generous, hard working and loving father, husband and friend who loved to talk and always enjoyed a good joke. He was predeceased by his wife, Ruth; his parents; his sister, Sharon Peyton; his brother, Gary Smithmen and his mother-in-law, Mary Ann Henry. He is survived by his wife, Cicely; sons, Rick (Kim) Smithmen and Michael (Tera) Smithmen; sister, Deb Agan; stepchildren, Greg (Crystal) Evans and Tracy (Chris) Willis; his grandchildren, Brady, Carter and Cooper Smithmen, Stephanie and Justin Evans and Moriah, Jake and Benjamin Willis; his in-laws, Harold Henry, Margaret and Alex Charlanow and Mark Henry; and many nieces and nephews. Family and friends are invited to call at the Barber Funeral Home, 413 South Main Street, Horseheads, NY on Friday, November 23rd, 2012 from 4:00-7:00 p.m. A service with Military honors accorded by the Marine Corps League will be held at the funeral home on Saturday, November 24th, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. Burial will occur at a later date at the convenience of his family. In lieu of flowers all those wishing to remember Dick are urged to donate blood with their local American Red Cross and consider registering as a stem cell or marrow donor at www.marrow.org. Other organizations he would wish to be supported are Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Guthrie Clinic Cancer Center or Chemung County SPCA. Special thanks for the compassionate and caring way Dick was treated by the staff of the Guthrie Clinic Cancer Center, especially Dr Edward O’Brien, Cynthia Perry, FNP and his infusion nurse Sylvia Robinson. In addition we are very grateful to Dr. Mark Heaney and his staff at Memorial Sloan Kettering for going above and beyond to help provide Dick with more time to enjoy his life.