Alfred Smith

Alfred (Al) Fuller Smith of Davis died January 4, 2008 of a heart attack at Sutter Davis Hospital. Memorial services will be held Thursday, January 10 at 2:00 PM at the Unitarian Universalist Church at 27074 Patwin Rd. to be followed by a reception at the Stonegate Country Club, 919 Lake Blvd., at 4:00 PM. Alfred was born in Portland, Oregon on December 3, 1919 into a large family of pioneer stock who built the first iron and steel works, hotels and shipyards in Portland. The family moved to Beverly Hills in 1928 where Al attended El Rodeo and Black Foxe Military Academy, graduating with honors as Battalion Commander in 1938. Attending Stanford University, he was President of Kappa Alpha fraternity, and boxing team letterman, winning the Golden Gloves university championship. He graduated in 1943, majoring in mechanical engineering and business. A World War II veteran, he served in the Navy as a Lieutenant on board the USS Steinaker in the Atlantic theatre. Professionally, Al spent over 55 years as a designer, developer and general contractor, and as the prime mover in a wide variety of large projects and business activities involving large construction and development programs. Answering the plea of Chancellor Emil Mrak in 1964 to come to Davis and build a community to house UCD students and staff, he designed and built the 300 acre Stonegate planned development where he and his wife Alexandra have lived for the last 38 years. Al was active in political and civic organizations, serving as President of the Beverly Hills Republican Club, on the Republican State Central Committee, as a California State Building Standards Commissioner for 14 years, and as President of the Davis Chamber of Commerce in 1972. Als varied interests and activities included everything from the outdoors to the fine arts. Living and working on the family cattle ranch at Deer Island on the Columbia River in Oregon, hunting, fishing, sailing and horseback riding were daily experiences. Living in Beverly Hills, he played golf, tennis and polo. He enjoyed photography, piano and singing, and flying his private plane. In Davis he became a devoted supporter of the symphony, ballet and the Mondavi Center, and his favorite gourmet restaurant, The Mustard Seed. Al was preceded in death by his father Alfred Ferdinand Smith in 1950, Frances Fuller Smith, his mother, in 1969, and brother Charles Edward Smith in 1984. He was married 25 years to actress Shirley Patterson, now deceased, and is survived by their son, Alfred F. Smith III (Tory) of Kona-Kailua, Hawaii, and his wife Nouk. He is also survived by Shirley Alexandra Smith, his wife of 35 years, their son Jeffrey Brian Smith, his daughter-in-law Tammy, and grandchildren Jason, 17, and Justine, 16, of Davis, as well as his mother-in-law, Artie Pollom of West Sacramento. Other surviving family members are his nephew Charles Smith and his wife Diane and their children C. J. and Andrew of Encinitas, California, niece Cici Reed and her husband Bill and children Christine and Wills of Weeverville, North Carolina, and numerous cousins in Oregon. In recent years Al dedicated his entire efforts toward creating a senior community, unique in design and services, in which he intended to build a church for the Unity Center of Davis, his new church family whom he dearly loved. In lieu of flowers, those wishing to honor his commitment may make a donation to their building fund at Unity Center of Davis, P.O. Box 4478, Davis, CA 95617.

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