Art Smith

Art Smith holding the first Golden Boot Award

Arthur Wellington Smith, Jr.
20 Jun 1936 - 08 May 2023

Clubs & Associations

Puddletown Squares
Squares Across the Border

Quick Facts

founder of Puddletown Squares
assisted in founding Squares Across the Border, and supported many other clubs in the Pacific Northwest
attended the 1983 fly-in in Miami at which the IAGSDC was founded ^[1]
became enough of a caller to teach classes and call patter
amateur videographer at many early conventions (Star Thru The Golden Gate - ???)
lived on the big island of Hawaii for many years
maintained a horticultural blog

Media Features

profiled in Ten Years IAGSDC: A Collection of Pages From Our Memory Book
published Orientation and Information for the New Lesbian/Gay Square Dance Club about how to start and run a club

Golden Boot Award

In 1983, Puddletown Squares presented Art with the Golden Boot Award.
In 1985, Art passed the award on to South Florida Mustangs.

Medallion Dancer

1994 | 10 Year Medallion at Stars & Squares Forever

Obituary

Arthur Wellington Smith, Jr., 86, of Caldwell, died Monday, May 8, 2023. Funeral Home: Dakan Funeral Chapel.^[2]

Remembrances

Art Smith was a great friend for many years until Alzheimer's made him fade away from us. I was in his first square dance class in Vancouver in 1983 - that's how Squares Across the Border began. And that is why Art had a lifetime Honorary Membership in SATB. At our 5th Anniversary Fly-In (Nov. 1988) we presented Art, the "father of our club", with a special Squares Across the Border sweatshirt with "Daddy" printed over the heart. He loved it.

I often stayed with Art in Seattle for square dance events and holiday weekends. He was one of the kindest persons ever, always willing to help with anything he could. Even after I moved away from square dancing, we stayed in touch and I visited him at the tropical paradise home he loved on the Big Island. I always looked forward to his beautiful birthday and Christmas cards with photos of his tropical flowers. Lots of people miss Art Smith. He was one of a kind.
— Bill Bader

I am a neighbor of Art Smith in rural Hawaii south of Hilo. Art was very proud of his role of starting gay square dancing in Seattle in the early 1980s. It was a huge aspect of his life 40 years ago, but the emotional toll of losing so many close friends to AIDS drove him to relocate to rural Hawaii. Here he became involved in growing rare palm trees from the vanishing tropical forests around the world. He also filled his beautiful three acre garden with huge exotic tree ferns. He was active member of the Hawaii Island Palm Society for decades. His last connection with the gay square dance community was about four or five year ago when he flew to Palm Springs for a big fly in. Seeing old friends at that event was very emotional for him. Art died at his sister's home in Idaho on May 8, 2023 a month short of his 87th birthday from complications from Alzheimers. He enjoyed a long life well lived.
— Rick Kelley

Memorial Panel

5LR | Puddletown Squares

Photos

Circa 1978. Photo courtesy of Art's sister Nalini Sarvis.
Art Smith holding the first Golden Boot Award
Art Smith and Karl Jaeckel at Promenade Along The Rockies, May 1985. Art distributes his gay square dance club “Orientation and Information” booklet.
At Star Thru The Golden Gate, 1986. Courtesy of Bob Moritz
At Star Thru The Golden Gate, 1986. Courtesy of Bob Moritz
Bbehind the video camera at Star Thru The Golden Gate, 1986
Bbehind the video camera at Peel The Apple, 1989
In Hilo, HI, 1995
2010 in Hawaii (photo courtesy of Bill Bader)
(L-R) Art Smith, first Golden Boot recipient, Bob Young, former IAGSDC Chair and Golden Boot recipient, James Ozanich, coordinator of the Memorial Panels, at Palm Springs Swing & Mix 2017
Art Smith and Rick Hawes at Palm Springs Swing & Mix 2017
Art Smith being honored for his contributions to gay square dancing at Palm Springs Swing & Mix 2017
Art Smith (L) and Mario Pecunia (R) at Palm Springs Swing & Mix 2017
2017