Curtis French Smith

A favorite saying of Curt’s was, “I wake up. If my name isn’t in the obituaries, I go to the gym.” Curt made his last lap around the hallways of Silverado Memory Care Center on Friday, February 14, 2025, just shy of his 90th birthday. His loving family and the center’s caring staff were with him. 

Curtis Smith was born February 25, 1935, in Bellingham, Washington, crossing hospital stays with his future wife, Ruby. Whatcom Falls Park and the Campus School at Western Washington College of Education (his primary years schooling) and the surrounds where his turf, filled with adventures with brother Craig and neighborhood pals. He attended Bellingham High School where both his parents were teachers. Pluses and minuses for sure! These years also introduced Curt and his family to reefneeting and a life-long love for Lummi Island.

After graduating in 1953, Curt attended the University of Washington, focusing on anthropology and rowing crew for the Huskies, and then moved into the dentistry program. He and Ruby (Schafer), having dated in high school and college, married in December 1957. Curt graduated from the UW School of Dentistry in 1960. They returned to Bellingham and Curt set up a dental practice downtown, started raising a family, and built a career and a lifetime of community involvement. 

His passion for dentistry extended beyond his practice to include serving for a short time in the Coast Guard reserve as a dentist, helping launch the state ABCD program (Access to Baby and Child Dentistry) in the 1990s, building the dental assistant program at Bellingham Technical College, and working with Interfaith Community Health Center to expand oral healthcare access to adults and children in Whatcom County. In his later years, he commuted to Seattle to work part-time as an Associate Dental Director for Washington Dental Service to share his expertise and foster effective communication between the insurance provider and the region’s dentists. Curt was an early member of the Robert L. Bruna Dental Study Club, and an active member of the Mount Baker District Dental Society, Washington State Dental Association (president 1988/89), Washington Dental Service Foundation (president 1998/99), and the American College of Dentists. Curt was highly respected by his colleagues and appreciated for his mentorship and positivity.  

Curt loved family above all else, and made sure everyone thrived, wrapping his encouragement with doses of humor and wit. And cash when needed. Curt enjoyed reefneeting, hiking, berry picking, dancing, sailing, golfing, charter boating the Puget Sound, making things in his wood shop, having three or four books underway at a time, writing about local history, collecting Kachinas and Hopi pots, leading anthropology hikes for friends and family in the Southwest, watching Husky football and basketball, rewatching movies, making cocktails for friends, patching the holes in the alley, and spoiling his many bulldogs. He was also an active member of the Bellingham Bay Rotary Club for many years.

Curt passed February 14th, his and Ruby’s birthday month. May the clouds around you be fit for dancing with your Valentine, and the chocolate cake be seven layers! 

Curt was preceded in death by his wife Ruby (October 17, 2023), parents Ray and Trula, and brother Craig Avery Smith. He is survived by his children Carolyn Saletto (Joe), Tori Smith, Patti Fairbanks (John), Craig S. Smith, Kit Anderson (Allen), 10 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren, and Molly the Bulldog.

In lieu of gifts in memory of Curt, the family suggests donations to Bellingham Technical College Foundation’s “Smith (Curtis) Endowment” supporting the dental assistant program, the Whatcom County Humane Society, Whatcom Hospice Foundation, or send a check payable to Silverado (memo note: Associate Holiday Fund/Curt Smith) at 4400 Columbine Dr. Bellingham, WA 98226.

A Celebration of Life for Curt will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, May 9, 2025 at Broadway Hall, 1300 Broadway, Bellingham, WA.

Please read Ruby's obituary here.