Rodney G. Smith

Rodney (Rod) Smith, of Marblehead, died peacefully at age 71 on Monday, June 4 at the Kaplan House in Danvers beloved and surrounded by family and friends. He is survived by his loving wife of 49 years, Phyllis Budnicki Smith, his children, Andy and Robin Smith of Marblehead, and their sons, Miles, Tucker and Bodie; Michael Smith and Allison Ingram of Alexandria, Virginia, and their daughter, Mackenzie; and Carrie and Christian Arrieta of Salem, and their sons, Sebastian and Nicolas.

Rod was the son of Herb and Esther Smith of New Jersey and the brother of Richard Smith, who lives in New Jersey. He attended Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey, spent a year in Granada, Spain with Phyllis studying at the Universidad de Granada, and received his Masters Degree at the Maxwell School at the University of Syracuse.

Rod was an active member of the Marblehead community including a term as president of Marblehead Little League and participation in several theater productions. He was for many years the head of the Teamsters Health Fund in Charlestown, from which he retired in 2005.

Rod will be remembered by his many friends for his wit and kindness. A celebration of Rod’s life will be held at the Tabernacle Church, 50 Washington Street, Salem on Friday, June 15 at 11AM. Relatives and friends invited. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Rod’s memory to the Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy Research Center, MGH Development Office, Attn. Shawn Fitzgibbons, 165 Cambridge Street, Suite 600, Boston, MA 02114 for online donations www.angiopathy.org/support.html or to The Kaplan Family Hospice House, 75 Sylvan Street, Suite B 102, Danvers, MA 01923. Arrangements by the Eustis and Cornell Funeral Home, Marblehead.