Geoffrey E. Smith

February 24, 1928 – December 30, 2016

Marblehead, MA – Geoffrey E Smith, age 88, passed away peacefully at Kaplan Family Hospice House on the morning of Friday December 30, 2016.  Son of the late Richard N. Smith and Mary G.B. Dailhoux, and husband of Ginger Smith, he was born in Australia where he was raised and educated.  Shortly after earning a bachelor's degree in radio engineering from The Institute of Engineers, Australia, he immigrated to Canada where he worked for Canadian Marconi until he moved to the US in 1961.  He settled in Wayland, Massachusetts and began his long career working for Raytheon.  After retiring from Raytheon in the late 1980's, he was active in the Wayland Council on Aging and received an award from Governor Jane Swift for his work supporting the passage of legislation to assist seniors to stay in their homes. He moved to Marblehead in 2013.

Geoffrey loved sailing.  He fell in love with the sport in the early 1970's with the purchase of his first boat, Kanangra. This was the first of four boats to bear that name.  Sailing quickly became an integral part of his life.  He joined the Hull Yacht Club in the mid 1970's and then joined the Boston Yacht Club in 1985.  From 2002 to 2010 and again in 2012 he was Chairman of the Race Committee at the BYC as well as a Trustee and member of the Long Range Planning Committee.  He was the Marblehead to Halifax Race Director and participated in Key West Race Week multiple times.

Geoffrey is survived by his loving wife Ginger Smith of Marblehead; his daughter Kathleen Smith, his grandchildren Stephen Tibbert and Elizabeth Tibbert and three great grandchildren. Also survived by his son Gregory and wife Ann and their children Sarah, Geoffrey and Alexander Smith, as well as his brother Richard and wife Monica of Australia, his brother Warwick and wife Maureen of Australia and his sister Elizabeth of Australia.  He also leaves his sister-in-law Bonne Smith and her daughter and son-in-law Victoria and Jason Greene.  Geoffrey was predeceased by his wife, Janet Yarmolinski.

Visiting hours for Geoffrey will take place on Thursday January 5, 2017 from 4 to 8PM at the Murphy Funeral Home, 85 Federal St. (corner of North St.) Salem, MA 01970.  A Memorial Mass will take place on January 6, 2017 at 10AM at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, 80 Atlantic Ave., Marblehead, MA 01945.  In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Care Dimensions, 75 Sylvan St., Danvers, MA 01923, or Sailing Heals, 5 Winchester St., Bradford, MA 01835.