Worthington Smith Obituary

In memory of:

Worthington LeHuray Smith

2/12/25 - 1/18/25

Worth Smith died peacefully at home with family present on Bainbridge Island, WA just shy of his 100th birthday.

Worth, known as "Bud" to his parents, was born in Tacoma, WA. Bud grew up in Portland, OR, and Missoula and Billings, MT before attending The Hotchkiss School for his high school years in Lakeville, CT, where he graduated in 1943.

Following his graduation, Worth enlisted in the Army and joined the 7th Army campaigns through southern France and southwest Germany, during which he received a Bronze Star for heroism in combat.

Upon his return to the States in 1946, Worth enrolled at Yale University where he played baseball and graduated with a degree in political science in 1950. While there he met Elizabeth Getzoff from Glen Ridge, NJ, a student at Wellesley College and they married after their graduations.

Worth was recalled into the Army and stationed in Europe in 1951, then returned home the following year to pursue a master's degree in American History at the University of Minnesota.

With a child on the way in 1953, Worth followed family railroad tradition and signed on with the Great Northern Railroad where he worked up through management ranks and moved with his family many times between the Midwest and Pacific Northwest.

In 1972, he was recruited by the Milwaukee Road to become their president, where he served until their merger with the Soo Line/Canadian Pacific in 1986 when he retired.

Worth and Elizabeth remained for several years in Winnetka, IL, but travelled extensively across the country and around the world. Worth became an instructor at the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management and a regular volunteer at the Field Museum of Natural History.

They moved to Santa Fe, NM and then to Bainbridge Island, WA for a while before building a house in Bozeman, MT where they lived starting in 2004. In 2014 they moved back to Bainbridge Island.

Worth will be remembered for his devotion to Elizabeth, his love of family and great interest in each child and grandchild, his enjoyment of good stories, listening to jazz and classical music, seeing new places, and his sense of duty and doing what's right.

Worth is survived by Elizabeth, his wife for 75 years, his son Rob and his wife Joni Bosh, daughter Nancy Smith Klos and her husband Ken Klos, and is predeceased by his son Scott who is survived by his wife Gale Farnsworth. Grandchildren include Sean Smith (Jessica Acuna) in The Netherlands, Frank Smith (Alyssa) in Midvale, UT, Carl Smith in Seattle, and Anna Klos in Chicago.