Dwight Morrell Smith

Dwight Morrell Smith passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, at his home on Saturday, November 29th. Dwight had a long and distinguished career – but always – at its heart was the love of knowledge, excellence in higher education and the desire to mentor and aid others in any way he was able.

Dr. Smith was Chancellor Emeritus and Professor Emeritus at the University of Denver. A visitation will be held from 2:00 pm to 6:30 pm at the Evans Memorial Chapel at the University of Denver on Monday, December 8th. Funeral arrangements are in the care of Horan & McConaty.

Born in October 1931 in upstate New York, he was the eldest of three children born to Helen Hall and Elliott Smith. He is survived by his younger siblings, Alan G. Smith and Jane E. Deane, both of upstate New York. He learned the values of hard work, faith, personal reliability, and integrity working on the family farm.

He graduated from Central College in Iowa with a BA in 1953, from Penn State with a Ph.D. in 1957, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at CalTech.

In 1955, he married his love of many years, Alice B. Bond, in their hometown in New York. Together they built a life around his academic career that took them to Wappingers Falls, New York; Portland, Connecticut; Holland, Michigan; San Diego, California and finally to Denver in 1972, when he assumed the positions of professor and Chairman of the Chemistry Department at the University of Denver.

He embraced the positions, his colleagues and students and never looked back. For the remaining decades of his life, he devoted himself to each new challenge with all he had to give. He served as Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs from 1983-1984 and as the 15th Chancellor of the University of Denver from 1984-1989.

He devoted his life to higher education, the integrity of its truths and ideals, and embraced excellence in the exploration of knowledge. He was honored with numerous awards, served on multiple local boards and was dedicated to his research which resulted in frequent publications of his papers. Among others, he was a member of the American Chemical Society and recipient of NSF research grants.

He was an unwavering fan and supporter of D.U. Athletics in all forms but had a soft spot for Pioneer Hockey. Throughout his retirement, he remained an ardent fan and stayed connected to his beloved D. U.

He was devoted to Alice throughout her illness and untimely passing from cancer after their move to Oahu, Hawaii. He married a second time, to Elfriede Nelson, who also preceded him in death in 2024. He leaves behind his children, Elizabeth, Susan and Jonathan, ten grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, his family suggests memorial donations to the Dwight Smith Endowed Chemistry Scholarship Fund at D.U. or to the Athletics Department at D. U.

Dwight was a loyal and reliable friend, a trusted colleague and mentor to many, and much beloved by his family. He leaves behind a legacy of dedication to his principles, joy and humility in his successes, and strength of perseverance during times of difficulty.