Phil dearly loved his family, his friends, and the wondrous diversity of places and cultures. He was drawn to languages and working overseas. France was clearly his favorite. He loved the beauty of nature, residing in homes in Connecticut, California, and Michigan that looked out on its splendor. And managing and building things, particularly businesses and homes, were activities he felt
born to do.
Phil was born in New York State to Kathleen Mehl Smith and E. Larry Smith in 1943. A high achiever, he graduated with honors from Westfield High School in NJ, from MIT with a BS in Mechanical Engineering, and from Harvard Business School with an MBA. On many subjects he was sharp as a tack, especially when it came to sports facts and statistics.
Phil began his professional career at Grumman Aircraft and served in leadership roles in the electrical products industry before founding Kupler, the U.S. subsidiary of Pfisterer. He went on to serve as President and COO at Kilovac and founded COMAT Technologies with Paul Davis. Outside of work, his passions included a love of photography, travel, and a deep faith in Christian Science.
Phil is survived by his devoted wife, Sue Warrick-Smith; his daughters, Christina DeYoung and Brooke Pochee-Smith; their mother, Susan Newbold; his brothers, David Smith and James Bancroft; and his sister, Kathleen Nilsen; his stepdaughters, Shannon Warrick and Jodie Konold; and his stepsons, Brad Warrick and Bill Warrick. We will miss his big smile and generous heart.
The family memorial will be private. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the National Parks Foundation.
