Walter Smith, Jr.

On Monday, April 5th, 2021, Walter Joseph Smith, Jr. passed away peacefully at his home in Washington, DC. Born on March 27th, 1957 in Bronx, NY to his late parents, Walter, Sr. and Julianne O’Connell Smith. Walter is survived by his siblings, Stephen M. Smith, Stacy Blye, Keely Buckholtz, his stepmother, Charlotte Burnett Smith, as well as multiple nephews, nieces and a large extended family. He was preceded in death by his sisters, Eileen Patricia Smith and Cynthia Lynne Campbell, niece Jamie Douglass, and nephew Justin Douglass. He was employed for 35 years by the law firm of Arnold & Porter in Washington, DC. Walter left this world with many fond memories of the friendships he made here. Friends may call at Gasch's Funeral Home P.A., 4739 Baltimore Avenue, Hyattsville, MD 20781 on Sunday, December 5, 2021 for a memorial gathering from 2 to 4 p.m.  Please come and share a fond memory as we celebrate his life. Immediately following will be a brief prayer service, beginning promptly at 4 p.m. If you knew Walter, you likely experienced some great conversations- often overflowing with his sharp witted, quick rebuttals. He was never afraid to post thought provoking ideas on social media platforms, often landing himself in "Facebook Jail". He was a repeat offender- something his family often got a kick out of, and deeply misses. Walter was fluent in ASL and had many friends in the deaf community. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in his name to Gallaudet University, 800 Florida Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002, continuing to empower the deaf and hard of hearing students.

Memorial Contributions cane be made to Gallaudet University https://www.gallaudet.edu/office-of-development/one-time-donation