Adrian D. Smith "Rip"

Adrian D. Smith, mostly known as Rip, 86, passed away Thursday August 19, 2021, surrounded by his loving Family. 

Rip was born June 9, 1935 in Salt Lake City, Utah to parents Frances Avon John and Thomas Alonzo Smith. He was number 10 of 11 children and grew up in Salt Lake City. He attended East High School, and the University of Utah. He served in the Army in the 9th division and spent time in Korea and Japan as a Communications Officer.  He returned home to the States and met the love of his life, Pat, at an LDS church dance. They were married by Spencer W. Kimball on June 12, 1958 in the Salt Lake Temple. Rip and Pat had 4 children, and raised them in the Canyon Rim area. Rip worked at Kennecott Copper Mine for 34 years, until he retired in 1994. During retirement Rip and Pat served two Inner City Missions, and served 3 years as Service Missionaries in a Rest Home. The light of his life were his children and grandchildren. Most Saturdays were spent with his grandchildren at the Desert Gym swimming and playing Jaws. Lunch was always at Crown Burger. His grandchildren all have a love of the water because of those precious Saturdays with their Papa Rip. 

His well-known nickname “Rip” came from his childhood. As the youngest son he was the recipient of all the hand me downs, which by the time they got to him were all ripped. Hence the name “Rip”. 

He loved sports from a very young age, and never paid for a ticket into any sporting event. When he was young, his brothers would throw him over the fence to get inside, and later in life there was not a ticket taker in town who didn’t know Rip and would let him in. His favorite sports teams were Skyline High School, BYU, and The University of Utah. He would always say “If you can love more than one child, you can love more than one Football Team.”

He loved to swim everyday at the Holladay Lions Club, which we lovingly referred to as “Swimmin’ with the Women.” He was known as the “Mayor of the pool.” It didn’t matter who you were, his first question was always, “Where did you go to High School?” From then on he remembered you by your high school mascot and he could sing your fight song to you at any time. 

Rip was known as the best Empty Nesters Coordinator his Stake had ever seen. From local return missionaries to a former Miss America to Nobel Prize winner Mario Capecchi, there was no one he wouldn’t ask to speak. His Empty Nester events went from filling family rooms to Stake Centers. 

Rip was the best Brother, Husband, Dad, Papa, Uncle and Friend. Nobody was a stranger to him. His love language was making sure everyone around him was well fed and he referred to in between meals as a “Snick Snack”.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years Patricia Hamlin Smith, children Kellie Schwendiman (Scot), Connie Windley (Chuck), Shawn H. Smith, along with 9 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren and sisters Wanda LaValle and Adele Smith and sister-in-law Vicki Williams, along with many nieces and nephews. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Kenneth (Arline), Barclay (Mary), Ray, Lynn (Annie), Don (Marian) and brothers-in-law Rudy LaValle and Jim Williams and sisters, Afton, Avon, and Fawn and his son Richard. 

Funeral service will be held Saturday, August 21, 2021 at 11:00am at Holbrook Mortuary, 3251 South 2300 East, Salt Lake City. Friends and family are invited to visit 9:30-10:30am prior to the service. The service will also be broadcast online, to watch the funeral scroll to the bottom of Rip’s obituary on the Holbrook Mortuary website on the day of the funeral. The funeral will remain available to watch for 90 days.

Interment with military honors will be at the Salt Lake City Cemetery on Tuesday, August 31 at 10:00am