Wayne L. Smith

BRANFORD, Conn. – Wayne L. Smith died on Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, after a brief illness. Family man, scientist, educator, environmentalist, athlete – his was a life well lived.

Wayne was born on Jan. 29, 1936, in Oneonta, N.Y., to Evelyn Basinger Marks and Lee Chester Smith. He graduated from Laurens (N.Y.) Central School as valedictorian in 1953. He enrolled at Syracuse University to study forestry but then changed his major to chemistry and transferred to Hartwick College. He earned a BA from Hartwick in 1957 and a Ph.D. from Pennsylvania State University in 1963, both in chemistry. At Penn State, he met his future wife, Louise Schmoyer, a bacteriology student; they were married on Nov. 25, 1959, in Reading, Pa.

After postdoctoral research at the University of Michigan, the family moved to New Jersey, where Wayne worked as a research chemist at Allied Chemical Corp. Around this time, he decided to leave industry for academia, starting with a visiting faculty position at Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University). In 1967, he joined the chemistry faculty at Colby College. By then, Wayne and Louise had a son and a daughter; a second son would be born two years later.

Always athletic, Wayne was a four-sport athlete in high school (football, basketball, volleyball, and baseball). In college he borrowed a book from the library by tennis great, Bill Tilden, beginning his lifelong love of racquet sports, including squash, platform tennis, and tennis. He played tennis regularly until he was 85, enjoying the camaraderie of good friends and never missing the opportunity to make a drop shot.

Throughout his life, Wayne enjoyed spending time outdoors, both in active pursuits and in conservation efforts. In his youth, he was a Boy Scout – ultimately becoming an Eagle Scout – and worked on various projects to support local wildlife and plant trees. In retirement, Wayne continued these efforts as a member of the Belgrade Tree Committee. During his 33-year tenure at Colby, he decided that it would be better for both the environment and his health if he walked or rode his bike the two miles to work every day, instead of driving.

As an educator, Wayne always sought to bring chemistry and science to life for others. He performed chemistry magic shows at local elementary schools, delighting the pupils and occasionally scaring their teachers. He was dedicated to educating both science and nonscience majors, teaching courses in general chemistry (for which he co-authored a textbook), inorganic chemistry, and “chemistry for citizens”.

He was fascinated by the many advances in technology, policy, and medicine that occurred in his lifetime. When his children were young, he gathered them together regularly to share his ideas about “Better Things” – ranging from pocket calculators to child labor laws to the polio vaccine.

He was predeceased by his wife of 65 years, Louise; as well as his parents; and his sister, Marilyn.

He is survived by his children, Gregor, Andri (Brian), and Carter (Jeanette); and grandchildren, Valerie (Emmanuel), Jeffrey, and Owen.

Wayne’s family is grateful for the wonderful care he received at Connecticut Hospice and from his other caregivers, as well as for the compassionate staff at The Green Cremation. A full obituary may be found at thegreencremation.com.

A celebration of his life will be held in the summer and will be announced.

In lieu of flowers,

donations may be made to one of Wayne’s

favorite organizations:

Colby College,

Hartwick College,

Penn State University,

7 Lakes Alliance,

Educare Central Maine,

Maine Public Radio, or

Union of Concerned Scientists.