CLASS OF 1966

ALBERT EDWARD SMITH, JR. (1944-2015)

Al died February 20, 2015, at his home in Charlottesville, Virginia, ending a two-year battle with mesothelioma. Born in Chester, Pennsylvania, Al graduated from the Episcopal Academy in Overbrook, Pennsylvania, where he played football, ran track, and captained the cross country team.

At Princeton he majored in English, writing his senior thesis on Joseph Conrad’s Lord Jim. He belonged to Charter Club and played IAA sports. In 1976 Al earned his veterinary degree from the University of Pennsylvania. After completing externships at the New York Animal Medical Center, he launched a veterinary practice in Charlottesville, specializing in small animals.

He was a partner or co-owner of several Charlottesville-area animal hospitals until his retirement in 2013. An exceptional athlete, Al was a nationally ranked short- and long-range triathlete in the 1980s. He was an avid sailor and enjoyed the sport for leisure and in competition. He participated in the Caribbean 1500, helping to crew a sailing yacht from Chesapeake Bay to Tortola by way of Bermuda. Al is survived by his wife Finley, sons Adam and Douglas, and sister Carol. The Class extends its condolences to them and the rest of Al’s family.