Kathleen Knox Smith, died October 6, 2002 at the Mary ElizabethNursing Center in Mystic, Connecticut after a brief illness. She was 90.
Called “Brownie” by all who knew her, she was born into a prominentWashington D.C. family with a long history of public service. Herpaternal grandfather was Philander Chase Knox, Secretary of State forPresident Taft, Attorney General for President Theodore Roosevelt, anda U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania. Her maternal grandfather was aCivil War general officer, a U. S. Congressman from New York City, andthe Secretary of the United States Senate. Her mother, KatherineMcCook Knox was an art historian and author who also used her artfilled home in Georgetown to support Republican Party and charitablecauses in Washington, D.C.
Mrs. Smith is survived by her husband of 64 years, Richard A. Smith, aprize winning author and for many years a Senior Editor for FortuneMagazine. Upon his retirement, Mr. and Mrs. Smith indulged in theirmutual interest in colonial history through the purchase of anhistoric 18th century farm house in Noank. Built in 1713, the farmhouse, which had all but been abandoned, was rescued by the Smiths andlovingly restored.
Mrs. Smith is also survived by two sons, Richard A. Smith, Jr., aretired U.S. diplomat now living in Rome, and Roderick Sheldon Smith,a retired expert in environmental sciences who resides in California.
Mrs. Smith was a member of the Sulgrave Club of Washington, the ColonyClub of N.Y., the Pittsburgh Golf Club, and the Noank Historical Society.
Funeral services will be held at the grave site at the Elm GroveCemetery in Mystic, Connecticut on Saturday, October 12, 2002 at 10:00AM.