1920 – 2003

TOPSHAM – Stanton Burgess Smith, PhD., passed away early Monday morning Aug. 4, in Topsham. He was born in Lewiston on March 10, 1920, the eldest child of Paul and Marjorie Smith.

After graduating from Lewiston High School, he attended Bates College, graduating cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa in 1941. He met his future wife Irene Harriet Towle while at Bates. They were married Feb. 22, 1942, at her family home in Hollis Center. During the war years he worked on the Manhattan Project at Oak Ridge National Laboratories and went on to earn a PhD. in Physical Chemistry from the University of Rochester in 1948. He developed an expertise in the manufacture and use of activated carbon, authoring four patents and multiple scientific research papers.

After retirement in 1977, he volunteered for the International Executive Service Corps, traveling with his wife to a variety of foreign countries, including Sri Lanka, Thailand, India and Venezuela, providing advice and assistance in the development of activated carbon manufacturing facilities in those countries.

He had a lifelong devotion to music and studied trumpet with Mr. Labelle in Lewistion. He was a member of the National Guard Band in Lewiston and later became leader of the Bates Bobcats Dance Band during his college years. He was a member of the Callanwold Band in Atlanta, Ga., for many years. After his retirement he and his wife spent their summers at their lakeside cottage in Monmouth, where he participated for many years as a member of several community bands including the Hallowell, Auburn, and Bath bands. He was a regular participant in RB Hall day celebration honoring Maine’s famous composer. After returning to Maine year-round to live at the Highlands in Topsham, he became involved year-round in Maine musical activities, joining several additional musical groups. He was a member and deacon of Mid-Coast Presbyterian Church where he also sang tenor in the church choir.

He died at his home in Topsham, Aug. 4. He is survived by his brother Robert Smith of Medfield, Mass. and sister Dorothy Jordan of Brooklin; three children, Dr. Pamela Smith of Freeholdboro, N.J., Dr. Stanton David Smith of Bellport, Long Island, N.Y., and Gary Smith of Mommouth; and by six grandchildren, Lisa Wood, Paula Wood, Stephanie Jacques, Owen Smith, Matthew Smith, and Brianna Smith. His wife Irene Towle Smith predeceased him in 2000.