Thomas Phillip “Tom” Smith, of Pasadena, Maryland, passed away on November 22, 2018, at his home on the waters of the Chesapeake Bay. Born in Spartanburg Regional Hospital, Spartanburg, SC on October 19,1963, Tom is survived by his husband Brian Wheeler and Cagney, their canine companion. He was predeceased by maternal grandparents James Elmore Stephens (Mildred) of Spartanburg, SC, paternal grandparents Henry Madison Smith (Kate) of Roebuck, SC. He is survived by his parents Bobby Adair Smith and Barbara Ann Stephens Smith of Spartanburg, SC, brothers Stephen “Steve” Adair Smith (Libby) of Ellijay, GA, and David Kenneth Smith (Janice) of Spartanburg, SC, nieces Chelsea Smith Gray (Kyle) of Brevard, NC, Temple Madison Smith of Spartanburg, SC, Laura Elizabeth Leonard (Tyler) of Thornton, CO, nephews Andrew Warren Smith (Caroline) of Spartanburg, SC, James Adair “Ja” Smith of Tega Cay, SC, and Mathew Lanham Smith (Vale) of Cusco, Peru, and great niece Madlyn Adair Leonard of Thornton, CO, Emerson Campbell Gray of Brevard, SC , and great nephew Andrew Warren Smith, Jr. of Spartanburg, SC., Anna Re Platt of Dallas, GA, and many more relatives, as well as a devoted mentor and friend Mrs. Georgia McAbee of Spartanburg, SC. In 1981 he graduated Boiling Springs High School in Spartanburg and continued his undergraduate studies at the College of Charleston where he obtained in 1985 a B.S. in Mathematics. He finished his M.Ed. in Administration/Curriculum from The Citadel in 1989. Through 1992 he further continued graduate education courses in Educational Policy at the University of Maryland, College Park. A career devoted to education started at Stratford High School in Goose Creek, SC teaching Pre-Calculus, Algebra Three, and Vocational math for 4 years followed by a year of monitoring the Department of Education’s grants for private schools at Council for American Private Education in Washington, DC. He spent two years teaching at Oxon Hill Middle School in Oxon Hill, MD; then, he was the Math Teacher for eight years at Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, MD. While here he authored the Prince George’s County Curriculum Guide for AP Statistics. Henceforth, he was a contributor for the National Advanced Placement Statistics Examination. During this period, he devoted eight years to being the host of the television show Count on Us produced by the Prince George’s County Public Schools’ Office of Television Resources. During 2000 – 2003 he was a Regional Resource Teacher, K-12 with Prince George’s County Public School’s Region II Office. He followed this position for a few years as an Assistant Principal then in 2005 as the Principal of Rogers Heights Elementary School in Bladensburg, MD. One of Tom’s greatest career accomplishments was opening Vansville Elementary School in Beltsville, MD. He served as principal here for ten years, until his retirement in June 2018, guiding the education and development of thousands of children here and throughout his career. He conducted numerous workshops during his career while still finding time to be affiliated with the following organizations: National Association of Elementary School Principals, Maryland Association of Elementary School Principals, Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Maryland Council of Staff Developers, and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Tom received numerous honors during his life such as the Eleanor Roosevelt High School Science and Technology Teacher of the Year, National Nominee for Tandy Outstanding Mathematics Teacher, Stratford High School Teacher of the Year, American Diabetes Association Award for Youth Services, and served as American Diabetes Association National Spokesperson. Tom and Brian had been partners for 18 years prior to being married on a yacht in St. Michael’s, MD in July 2013. A broad smile was always found on Tom’s face when he and Brian and their dogs Jasper or Cagney were onboard “Palmetto Blues” sailing the waters of the Chesapeake. Traveling with Brian to other countries to view sites and experience other cultures was a passion for Tom. He deeply cherished his family, friends, and co-workers. He was known by all as a passionate educator who loved with all his heart. He was thoughtful, generous, and kind, and lived every day with great expectations for the future. Family and friends may visit on Sunday, December 2, 2018, from 11 am – 1 pm at Barranco & Sons, P.A. Severna Park Funeral Home, 495 Ritchie Highway, Severna Park, MD 21146. A celebratory program will be held on Sunday, December 2, 2018, at 1 pm at the funeral home, following the visitation. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the National Kidney Foundation ( https://www.kidney.org/support) , the It Gets Better Project ( https://itgetsbetter.org/donate/) , or the American Heart Association ( https://www.heart.org ). Online condolences may be made at www.barrancofuneralhome.com
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Posted on: 2018-12-12
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