SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA JANUARY 3, 2009 - Santa Monica community leader and political activist, Clyde Smith, died Thursday January 1, 2009 after a brief illness. Clyde was the Executive Director of the former Neighborhood Redevelopment Corporation (NRDC), a non-profit organization that rehabilitated hundreds of housing units in Santa Monica for the elderly and low income families. He also served actively in many of the Westside area service organizations, including the Rotary Club of Santa Monica, the Santa Monica Red Cross, the Pico Neighborhood Association, the SM Chamber of Commerce, and the Santa Monica College Advisory Board, among others. He, along with former SM mayor, Nat Trives, co-founded the Westside MLK Westside Coalition and remained a very active participant in its work. At the time of his death, Mr. Smith was also Chairman of the Salvation Army Corps here in Santa Monica.
Clyde was also one of the Proud, The Few -- The United States Marine Corps and served in the Vietnam war. He loved music and loved to sing. He faithfully attended the Playboy Jazz Festival in Hollywood each year. He sang with and was president of the Dave Weston Singers, a local Gospel ensemble which performs both locally and statewide at civic and religious engagements. He was a church leader and an exemplary family man.
He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Rosemary and their son, Sean; daughter-in-law, Elizabeth; and 7 grandchildren, 4 of which are Sean & Elizabeth’s. Their only daughter, Sterling Tisha, preceded him in death last year.
Clyde will be remembered and missed as the “village wise man”, who generously shared his counsel, good advice and loving support with all, young and old, who were troubled in spirit or needed to be pointed in the right direction. He gave unselfishly of his time and efforts to make our world a better place.