Even after his retirement, George Baxter Smith remained an important adviser and confidant for Kansas University leaders.

Kansas University, the city of Lawrence, the state of Kansas and the overall field of education lost a tremendous friend and effective spokesman with the death of George Baxter Smith.

Few KU faculty members or administrators have demonstrated the loyalty, support and sound thinking that Smith exhibited over the last 60 years. During that time, he was a teaching, a dean and a vice chancellor. His interests and input covered a wide range of university activities and programs.

Perhaps just as important as his purely academic and administrative responsibilities was the role he played as a confidant and adviser to several KU chancellors. There was nothing shallow or phony about Smith, and chancellors knew that when they visited with him about serious matters that he could keep confidences and offer sound, reasonable advice.

In addition to his impressive academic achievements from the time he graduated from the University of Minnesota, Smith also compiled a distinguished record as an officer in the U.S. Army. He graduated from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and the National War College. He was awarded the Purple Heart and ended his active service at the rank of colonel. He was as proud of the United States and those serving in the military as he was of his beloved KU and its thousands of students, past and present.

He ended his formal tie to the university in 1977 but continued to do everything he could to help the school.

However, as much as one might want to note his many academic, university-related and military achievements, his friends probably would be quick to say the most memorable facet of Smith was that he was just a very nice person full of enthusiasm and constantly interested in what was best for the university, its faculty and students. Although he could be terribly serious when conditions called for it, he always wore a warm, friendly smile and often would pull friends aside to tell a funny story.

Times change, universities change, “political correctness” enters the picture, and the types of individuals serving universities change, but there always will be a need for men such as the loyal, honest, straight-talking George Baxter Smith.