Randolph Betts Smith (Randy), age 66, died Aug. 21, 2020, at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center of complications of atrial fibrillation, or arrhythmia, a type of irregular heartbeat. He is survived by Virginia A. Smith (Ginny), his partner of 43 years, that included 35 years of marriage; stepson Josh Wiegand and granddaughters Avery and Bryn, of Golden CO; several half-siblings, including Eric Betts of Los Angeles; a stepsister, Lorie Maltby of Henderson, KY; and a dozen first cousins, to whom he was extraordinarily close his whole life.
Randy was born in New York City on Nov. 6, 1953, to Louise Roberts Sheldon and Peter R. Betts. He attended school there and elsewhere, including St. Paul’s School in London and Harvard School, now Harvard-Westlake in Los Angeles, from which he graduated.
He received a B.A. degree in history and political science from Yale University and an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He also was the recipient of a yearlong Knight-Wallace business fellowship at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor in 1995.
He was a lifelong student of history, especially military history. Much of this interest was fueled by his adoptive father, John Lucian Smith, an American Medal of Honor recipient and Marine Corps flying ace who shot down 19 Japanese planes in World War II and led his squadron to destroy 83 enemy aircraft during the Solomon Islands campaign. Col. Smith, who died in 1972, was Randy’s hero.
For his first career, which lasted 20 years, Randy worked as a reporter for 11 different newspapers around the country, including, in Philadelphia, the Evening Bulletin, the Daily News, and the Wall Street Journal at its bureau on South Broad Street, before the 102-year-old newsroom was shut down in the early 1990s.
At age 42, he decided to leave journalism for a second career in business. He graduated from Wharton in 1998, and for the next 22 years, worked in marketing at The Vanguard Group, Morgan Stanley, T. Rowe Price, TIAA, and, for the last year, Glenmede Trust in Center City, where he was marketing content manager.
Randy was a lifelong athlete – tennis, skiing, running, hiking. He rowed for the University of Michigan and for Wharton. For the last 30 years, he and a friend had bicycled weekly in all but the most inclement weather throughout rural Chester County. He had many other interests, and especially enjoyed learning about birds and plants in the large wildlife garden he and his wife created at their home in East Falls.
The couple shared many adventures traveling around the world, particularly to Morocco, where Randy’s parents lived for many years. On one solo trip, he, with a guide, climbed Mount Toubkal in the High Atlas Mountains. At 14,000 feet, it is the highest peak in Morocco and North Africa.
He was an adventurer in soul, intellect and deed, and he will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
He will be cremated. Because of the pandemic, life celebrations will be held at a future date in Philadelphia and in Rhode Island, where Randy spent many happy summers sailing in Narragansett Bay and cavorting with his cousins.
NOTE FROM FAMILY: Many of you have asked about possible memorial contributions for Randy. Here are three possibilities.
1. Saunderstown Yacht Club: JR Sailing Program, PO Box 14, Saunderstown, RI 02874 or go to Saunderstownyachtclub.org. Please note on the check or form that this is in memory of Randy Smith. He loved sailing in Narragansett Bay from the time he was a little boy.
2. Project Hero K-9: Go to projectk9hero.org. Provides medical and food costs for life for retired military and police dogs. Please note on the check or form that this is IMO Randy Smith. He was known in our Philadelphia neighborhood as the “Pied Piper.” He knew the names of all the kitties and dogs, and always stopped to say hi.
3. Because of the dedication and compassionate care provided to Randy by the nurses and doctors in the Penn Presbyterian Medical Center’s ICU, here is a third choice: Penn Presbyterian Cardiology Services Fund, which supports cardiac patients in West Philadelphia and beyond with transportation to medical appointments, help with medications, food and utilities, and other important needs.Checks should be made out to Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, with IMO Randy Smith in the notes line, and mailed to Penn Medicine Development, c/o Abby Addy, 3535 Market St., Suite 750, Phila., PA 19145.Online gifts can be made at https://giving.aws.cloud.upenn.edu/fund?program=MC&fund=602644
Randy’s devoted cardiologist, Kelly A. Spratt, will direct help to patients in need.
Thanks to all who honor Randy with a contribution. It is very much appreciated.