Donald J. Smith
Donald J. Smith died February 3, 2024 at the age of 68 from metastatic bladder cancer. He passed away peacefully in his home in Durham, NC. Don is survived by his wife of 40 years, Lori Hartog Smith; daughters Caitlin Tillberg (Eric), Rachel Pendragon, and Natalie Hartog; siblings, Diane Smith-Greer (Robert), Denise Ferreira (Michael), and Frank Smith; two grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, grand-nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. He was predeceased by his parents, Nancy and Dennis Smith, Sr., and elder brother, Dennis Smith, Jr.
Don was born and raised in Pennsville, NJ and graduated from Pennsville Memorial High School in 1973. After high school, he studied engineering at Cornell University and joined the Marines. He also worked for the Forest Service in Colorado prior to returning to New Jersey. He met his wife, Lori, doing a play at Salem County Community Theater in Carney's Point, NJ, in 1982 and they married in 1983. The two lived in Salem, NJ for several years before moving to Pennsville after the birth of their second child. In 2020, Don and Lori relocated to Durham, NC to be near their grandchildren.
Don worked as a Senior Field Service Engineer & Senior Technical Instructor for Diasonics for 16 years, installing and maintaining medical imaging systems. He traveled extensively throughout the northeast as a specialist and spent time in Australia and Brazil to train employees on new systems. He then decided to change his focus to the rapidly-developing tech sector, first as a web designer and later as a software engineer. He started several businesses during this time, including C.O.O.L.-Net, a web design company that specialized in creating websites for non-profits and small businesses; the North America Drug Co. (with his brothers Frank and Dennis Smith), which provided logistical support for the imports of pharmaceuticals and medical devices; and Black Diamond Services (with brother Dennis Smith), which specialized in developing web applications.
Other than his family, music was Don's greatest passion. He was a skilled classical and jazz guitarist and sang tenor in many church choirs and in duets with Lori. He served as the choir director at First Presbyterian Church in Salem, NJ, and volunteered with the non-profit Guitarists for Good. Don enjoyed reading, especially science fiction and fantasy, and served as a member of the Board of Directors at the Pennsville Public Library from 2010-2020. Outdoors, he enjoyed skiing and golfing. Don attended Westminster Presbyterian Church in Durham, NC .
According to Don's wishes there will be no funeral services. He will be cremated and there will be a celebration of life for friends and family to be held at a future date.
We would like to extend our gratitude to the hospice, oncology, and transplant teams at Duke University Hospital, as well as the transplant team at Temple University Hospital, where Don had a lung transplant in 2018.
Don was a frequent blood donor, helping save hundreds of infants who were undergoing surgery. We encourage those who are able to donate blood in his memory, and to sign up to be an organ donor. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (www.chop.edu).