Mr. Smith, who spent nearly four decades with Huron-Clinton Metroparks, died Aug. 11, 2006. He was 80 and lived in Fenton, Mich.

Born in Lincoln, Neb., Smith graduated in 1949 from the landscape architecture program at Michigan State College of Agriculture and Applied Science, now Michigan State University. He immediately went to work for Huron-Clinton Metroparks (Detroit) and its first park, Kensington, a lake-side park which involved landscape design, planning and developing hiking trails, golf courses and natural areas.

Smith rose to supervising landscape architect for the Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority, which today includes 13 metro parks. He retired in 1986.

Smith is survived by his wife of 54 years, Barbara, daughters Sarah Moore and Marty Ward, his son, Jeff, a brother and six grandchildren.