Richard Lee "Rip" Smith, (71), died after a struggle with lung cancer on Saturday, December 30, 2017 at the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center in Richmond, VA. He was born on October 2, 1946 in Allentown, New Jersey to the late Theodore Charles Smith, Sr., and Kate Cole.

Richard became a highly skilled carpenter. He was a union worker for the Local in Toms River, New Jersey. Two notable projects where he worked were Six Flags Great Adventure in the 70's, and on the Olympic Bicycle ring in California. Richard was fondly called Rip as long as he could remember. On one construction site, one of Richard's co-workers admired the way he used a saw and called him, Rip Saw. Richard loved this and used it on his business cards when he worked on odd jobs (no job too small) as a handyman.

He graduated from Allentown High School, Allentown, New Jersey in 1964. The senior class provided their favorite quotes for their yearbook. Richard's quote "If ye want ae friend that's true, I'm on your list" – BURNS. This quote sums up who he was as a person.

Although Richard was not a religious person, he loved the Lord. Many people loved and cherished Richard for his kindness, his integrity, and his sense of humor. He made a lot of friends wherever he went. Richard always had a way to brighten someone's day. This is not so much what he said about himself as many people said it.

In addition to his parents, Richard was predeceased by his grandson, James Anthony Brown, Jr. (August 14, 1995); his sister Lydia Jeannette Smith-Minney (May 28, 2014); and his brother Theodore Charles "Bubby" Smith, Jr. (December 26, 2014). His brother Willis Smith died four days after Richard on Thursday, January 4, 2018.

Left to cherish his memory are his life companion, Mi-yung "Kim" Spruel; two daughters, Erica and Renée Smith; a grandson, Jaron Brown; his adored cousin Doris Brown-Smith; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.