Richard Smith

Richard Atwood Smith, 89, of Safford, passed away on Friday, April 30, 2010, at the Sunset Hills Care Center in Safford. As a young boy he ran a trap line in Northern Minnesota. He later moved to the city and was introduced by his grandmother to the Swedish Baptist Church, he professed his faith there. He joined the U.S. Navy during WWII and was stationed at Pearl Harbor when it was bombed. He said that experience made a boy grow up fast. When he returned from serving in the Navy he worked security for the Honeywell Company for over twenty years. He met and married Carol Bechtel on May 15, 1969 in South Dakota, they later moved to Arizona. He is survived by his wife Carol; three children; two step children; two sisters; and one brother; three grandchildren and three great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, and one brother. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 pm on Tuesday, May 4, 2010 at the Caldwell Funeral Chapel, with a viewing one hour prior to services.