Richard Clark Smith

Richard Clark Smith, 83, retired professor of botany, University of Florida, died of cancer Saturday, January 8, at River Garden Hebrew Home/ Wolfson Health and Aging Center, Jacksonville.
He is survived by his wife, Carolyn, his daughter, Rachel Williams (Casey); grandchildren, Kyle and Leah Williams, all of Jacksonville; and his brother, Daniel Smith (Louise), nieces Elizabeth Ellwanger (David ), Susan Moore (Hudson), and two grandnieces, Catherine and Sarah Moore, all of Richmond, VA. He was preceded in death by his parents, Miriam and Robert Smith, McKenzie, TN.
Dr. Smith received his undergraduate degree in chemistry and botany at Vanderbilt University and his master’s and doctorate degrees in plant physiology at Duke University. He taught at the University of Tennessee, Miami University in Ohio, Rutgers University, and, until retirement in 1995, at the University of Florida. He also did research for several years with Prof. Emanuel Epstein, University of California, Davis, on mineral uptake in plants. He was a member of the American Society of Plant Biologists and the scientific research society Sigma Xi. In Gainesville, he was a member of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church. In Jacksonville, he was a member of Episcopal Church of Our Saviour.
His funeral will be at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, February 5, in the Episcopal Church of Our Saviour. The family suggests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Episcopal Church of Our Saviour, 12236 Mandarin Road, 32257; River Garden, 11401 Old Saint Augustine Road, 32258, or National Parks Conservation Association, 777 Sixth Street NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20001-3723.