Peter Lawson Smith of New Rochelle, NY passed away peacefully in his home on February 17, 2025 at the age of 94. Peter is survived by five children Tomas Smith (Juarez, Mexico), Holly Bedard (Pepperell, MA), Timothy Smith (Newburyport, MA), Jonathan Smith (Spokane, WA), and Heather Smith (New Rochelle, NY) and predeceased by two of his children, Peter Smith Jr. and Terry Smith. Peter had 17 grandchildren, 34 great grandchildren, and two great great grandchildren. He had close relationships with his godson, Peter Kendell Clark, and his step grandson, Marcus Burham.
Peter was born to Alice Lawson Smith and Quentin Irving Smith on August 6, 1930 in New York City. He had two brothers, Quentin I. Smith, Jr. and Donald L. Smith. He spent his childhood in Edgemont, NY and attended Yale University graduating in the class of 1952 with a degree in Civil Engineering.
To begin his career in aerospace engineering, he moved to St. Louis, MO to work at McDonnell Aircraft as a Stress Engineer. Peter also worked at Vertol Aircraft and at Bendix as a Senior Structures Engineer during this time. Peter moved to the greater Boston area to work at the Avco Corporation as a Structures Project Engineer. In 1976 Peter took a job as a Manager and Project Leader at United Nuclear in Uncasville, CT. Peter moved across the country to Richland, WA in 1993 to work as Principal Engineer for Westinghouse and then Lockheed Martin at the Hanford Site. He remained at Hanford until his retirement in 2000 at the age of 70.
Peter was a lover of the arts, a Gold Level Bridge Master, and a proud winner of two Member-Guest Golf Tournaments at Meadow Springs Country Club in Richland, WA.
His service will be on Saturday, March 1st at noon at St. James the Less, 10 Church Way, Scarsdale, NY. Donations can be made in his name to St. James the Less, the church he attended as a child and where he will be buried.
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