San Angelo Standard-Times

Mon, February 7, 2022, 11:08 AM·2 min read

Rick Smith, a longtime Standard-Times staff writer and beloved columnist, died Sunday, Feb. 6, 2022, after a battle with dementia. He was 67.

Smith's columns were a fixture on the front page of the Standard-Times for years, and he won numerous awards throughout his career.

When he wasn't finding stories in San Angelo, he traveled around the state looking for adventures he could share with his readers.

"Rick was the best writer the Standard-Times ever had, but he also was one of the best people ever to work at the newspaper. I can't think of a single person who didn't like him," former Standard-Times managing editor Jack Cowan said. "Rick could take the most routine event and turn it into a story everyone wanted to read. He was clever, creative and hilarious. A couple of generations of Standard-Times readers are sad right now, and I'm going to find some of his old columns to help me get over it."

Smith was born in San Angelo on July 20, 1954. He graduated from Central High School in 1972 and Angelo State in 1976.

He married June Ann Hubbell on June 18, 1977. They had two daughters, Anne and Katherine.

Smith began his career at the Standard-Times in 1973 as a part-time sportswriter, but he found his true calling when he landed a job as a columnist.

With the exception of short stints in Austin, Sherman and Amarillo, Smith spent the majority of his 40-year career in San Angelo. He served as a Standard-Times columnist for nearly 25 years. Smith retired in 2015.

"Rick was a truly gifted writer and storyteller," said Standard-Times editor Paul Harris. "I was amazed how he could make you feel like you were sitting next to him on a road trip, listening to him tell a fun story. I admired him greatly and learned so much from him just by reading his columns."

Smith spent his final days with his family by his side in Silverton, Oregon.

A funeral service will be held in San Angelo on April 23 at the International Waterlily Collection in Civic League Park, one of Smith's favorite places, his wife said. More details on the service will be released at a later time.