Obituary of G. Smith

G. Ralph Smith, II died May 28, 2010, at Barclay Friends in West Chester, PA at the age of 69, after a courageous battle with sinus cancer. Formerly of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he was the son of the late G. Ralph Smith and Elizabeth Matos Smith. He graduated from Germantown Friends School in 1958 as a Merit Scholar, and Franklin and Marshall College three years later. Smith attended Villanova and Temple Universities respectively, completing coursework for his Master''s and Ph.D. degrees in English. He was Professor of English at California University of Pennsylvania in California, Pennsylvania for thirty years, living there for almost forty years, where he built up the library in the English Department and helped pay the tuition of an incoming freshman for many years. He is survived by his sister, Margaret S. Schoettle, a niece, Elizabeth M. Schoettle. and nephew R. Evan Schoettle. Truly a gentleman and a scholar, he will be missed by all who came into contact with him, including his friends and colleagues, and will be remembered as a brilliant, unassuming, quiet charmer with a kind and generous heart, and an extreme wit who made you think even if you didn''t think you could. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Barclay Friends, 700 N. Franklin Street, West Chester, PA 19380 and/or Neighborhood Hospice Services, 400 East Marshall Street, West Chester, PA 19380. Burial is private.