Raymond “Pop” M. Smith, III passed away peacefully on September 30, 2017 after an extended illness. He left this world just how he would have wanted to, surrounded by the loving circle of family that so defined his journey through life.

It has been said that “our lives are not measured in years, but are measured in the lives of the people we touch around us.”

He was born in Pittsburgh, PA on August 10, 1935 to the late Lavenia Bergman and Raymond Smith, Jr. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from the University of Pittsburgh. After working as a Certified Public Accountant, Ray joined Schaefer Manufacturing as the Assistant Treasurer, eventually becoming the Chief Financial Officer. In 1973, he relocated his family to Dartmouth where he was President of Schaefer Marine. He retired in 2000 after 39 years.

Ray married his high school sweetheart, Charlotte Dimond, the love of his life and together they raised a family of six children. Their marriage was a remarkable and inspiring example of unconditional love and devotion for sixty years.

Ray and Charlotte traveled the world, visiting nearly every continent. He delighted in adventure, whether rafting the Bio Bio in Chile, riding camels in the desert, or capturing the notorious groundhog with his good friend and neighbor, Grant.

He was a member of the New Bedford Yacht Club and enjoyed many years of sailing, boating, and fishing. We all have some image of Ray silhouetted on a dock or floating in his kayak, casting a lure against the setting sun. Whatever the activity, he found a way to inject fun and humor, be it sometimes mischievous, that always added joy to the moment.

Ray contributed to the community as an active member of the St. Vincent De Paul Society at St Mary’s in Dartmouth. For the past fourteen years, he and Charlotte volunteered at the Catholic Charities Solanus Casey Food Pantry in New Bedford.

He is survived by his wife Charlotte; his children Gretchen Baker-Smith and her husband Buddy of Dartmouth MA, Betsy Rivard and her husband Michael of Norwood MA, Elaine Scholtz and her husband Jeff of Thornton NH, Raymond Smith and his wife Kathi of Dartmouth MA, Stephen Smith and his partner Dawn States of Eugene OR, Monica Smith and her partner Rodger Wenzel of Avon CT; grandchildren: Ben, Katey, Kara, Jeremy, Emily, Raymond, Dan, and Charlotte; his siblings Lavenia “Honey” Seery and her husband Fran, Janet McSorley, Robert Smith and his wife Mary Elizabeth, Mary Smith widow of Ray’s pre-deceased brother James, Suzanne Jones and her partner Bill Kaskey, Michael Smith and his wife Alissa, many nephews, nieces, and an extraordinary circle of good friends.

Friends and family are invited to calling hours at Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford on October 6 from 4-8 PM. His Funeral Mass will be on October 7 at 11:30 AM at St. Mary’s Church in Dartmouth.

Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Solanus Food Pantry or the Salvation Army. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.