Fidel Tennis Smith

Captain Fidel T. Smith, NOAA, retired, was born on January 14, 1942, in Alamosa, CO, and passed on July 14, 2022. He was preceded by his parents Jack and Mary Smith; brother Jerry L.; and sister Judy M. Epley.

He is survived by his wife Jayne Rouleau Smith of Albuquerque; his brothers, Dick of Katy, TX, and Robert (Dorothea) of Grand Junction, CO; sister-in-law Georgianna Rouleau of Northampton MA; his brother-in-law George Epley of Donna, TX; and several nieces and nephews.

Captain Smith graduated from Sandia High School, 1959, attended the University of New Mexico from 1959 to 1965. He received a Master of Science in Civil Engineering in June 1965.

He entered the 18th Officer Training Class on June 21, 1965, in Norfolk, VA. First Assignment was aboard the Ship Pathfinder conducting hydrographic surveys in Hawaii and Cook Inlet Alaska, Seattle. Second assignment was the worldwide Satellite Triangulation Program 1967 thru June 1970 Washington, DC. Third assignment was the NOAA Ship Davidson conducting hydrographic surveys in S.E. Alaska 1970 and 1971. Fourth Assignment was the Ship Oceanographer conducting oceanographic and geophysical surveys in the China Sea and the Western Pacific. 1973 through 1975 he was assigned to the Hydrographic Survey Party (Launch 1257, etc) on the East Coast. 1976 and 1977 as Executive Officer on the Ship Fairweather conducting hydrographic surveys in Alaska and Southern California. 1978 through 1981, Chief of Operations in the Office of Marine Operations, Seattle, Washington. 1982, 1983 Executive Officer on the NOAA Ship Surveyor conducting EEZ surveys and Marine Mammal surveys in the tropical Pacific and the Arctic and Bering Seas. 1984 Exchange Officer in the Office of the Oceanographer of the Navy, Washington, DC 1985 and 1986, Commanding Officer, Ship Mt Mitchell conducting Hydrographic surveys in Honduras, off Cape Cod, Gulf of Mexico, and Icy Straits Alaska. February 1987, Deputy Director, Atlantic Marine Center. Norfolk, VA, July 1989, Field Photogrammetry Section, retiring February 1992.

Fidel known to many as "Fil" was loved by family and many friends throughout his life. Fil was born and raised in southern Colorado in the San Luis Valley. Any chance he got he visited his grandparents in La Jara. He would work on the farm in the summers during school break. He also worked for the Forest Service in Colorado during the summers which Uncle Dan helped him get. He got his first elk at age 14. Fil, Dick, and Jerry won prize ribbons in 4H.

He liked to travel with his wife, Jaynie; enjoyed participating in the Marine Corps Marathon, enjoyed racquetball, was active with the local USTA tennis teams, enjoyed downhill skiing, hiking and casual biking, keeping in touch with his buddies from the Corps: Freddie Jeffries, Marty Mulhern, Dave Wilson, Steve Erickson, Leonard Pickens.

He loved to tell ship stories and visited with his neighbors. Fil and his friend, Dave hiked the South Rim of the Grand Canyon twice. He was a great conversationalist on any topic especially on history and current events. He had a spirit of mental adventure when it came to solving problems, trivia, puzzles, and he was his "own church”. He loved going to Northampton, MA, for the summer to visit his friends and family.

A visitation will take place on Thursday, July 28, 2022, from 3:00-5:00pm at FRENCH-Wyoming. Burial will take place at the Santa Fe National Cemetery on Tuesday, August 2, 2022, at 2:00pm.