Richard Goehring Smith

Richard “Rick” Smith passed away of natural causes at the age of 86 on June 7, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia, and was predeceased by his wife, Jean Smith, in December, 2020. Until recently, Rick and Jean lived in Foley and Gulf Shores, Alabama. Due to his declining health, Rick moved to Atlanta, Georgia, in November 2021 to be closer to family. Rick graduated from Coral Gables High School in Miami, Florida. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy after high school and served in the Korean War. Rick was a very dedicated fan of the Miami Hurricanes (“Canes”, “The U”) and proudly wore his Sebastian the Ibis necklace on most occasions. He was an avid fan of NFL football, especially the Atlanta Falcons, always eagerly waiting to support his team through the highs and lows of each season. He enthusiastically served as President of the Falcons Fanatics fan club and held season tickets for several decades. In his middle adult years, he discovered a passion for running. Rick enjoyed training with the Sumo running club and competing in road races, such as the Peachtree Road Race and the New York and Boston marathons. Rick was employed and retired from Estes Heating and Air. After retirement, he and Jean enjoyed traveling all over, amassing a vast collection of refrigerator magnets and wonderful memories along the way. Other lifelong favorites were seafood, a good martini, and music—especially country, bluegrass, the Beach Boys, and Jimmy Buffett. Rick was fascinated with genealogy and spent many years researching and traveling to gather interesting and valuable information about our families’ heritages. Rick is survived by his stepdaughter (Lisa) from his wife Jean; his two children (Sharon and Kelli) from his second wife, Diane; his two children (Debbie and Craig) from his first wife, Carol; and seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.