Added assets

Dr. Lynwood Smith is an excellent example of the special resource Lawrence has in its retired residents.

There are many factors that go into making Lawrence a growing, visionary city, and one of the biggest factors is the people who choose to make Lawrence their home.

Many, many people have made the decision to move to Lawrence for employment opportunities or to take advantage of various social and cultural activities during their retirement years.

A relatively small number of Lawrence residents have lived in the city for 25 years or more. In many ways, the “newcomers” have added vision and enthusiasm to the community, offered new ideas and inspired the city to new and higher goals.

Dr. Lynwood Smith was one of those relative newcomers who made a significant contribution to Lawrence, and his death on Tuesday will leave a void in the community. After graduating from Kansas University in 1951 and from the KU School of Medicine in 1960, Smith practiced medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., for 35 years. When he was ready to retire, he and his wife, Marty, considered several cities but chose to move to Lawrence.

The Lawrence they returned to was vastly different than the city in which they had lived as students, but it didn’t take the Smiths long to renew old friendships and add a host of new friends and activities to their lives. Marty Smith has devoted significant time to the local Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program.

After realizing there were many other people who had retired to Lawrence but wanted to remain active, Lyn Smith helped found the New Generation Society, which offers social, educational and philanthropic opportunities for those retirees. He was a member of several local boards and organizations and showed his commitment to the community by leading the committee that planned the Bert Nash Community Summit in January 2001.

The summit, and his work on it, were a wonderful gift to the community that served as Smith’s retirement home.

There are many active retirees who play an important role in the life and activities of Lawrence. Smith was just one of them, but his commitment and involvement are a wonderful example of how much people who choose to retire in Lawrence add to the vitality of our community.