“Tally ho!” (said in one of my Dad’s final goodbyes to me)
I have spoken to many family and some friends already. I’ll be posting tributes and more pictures in the coming week. Feel free to send any fond memories about my Dad you’d wish to share. He was loved. – Christine ‘Christie’
(Pics: Top, my Dad before his plane was painted, me at 8 years old in Hawaii on a long board (we loved the water and my father was so dedicated to my swimming), & he was a great Navy pilot.
Fashion Stories & Dirty Laundry 
Responses to “My Dad ~ Capt. Cordell ‘Cord’ Claude Smith April 13, 1944 – February 21, 2019”
Ok, Christie, my favorite memories of Cord…all of these are swim memories from when we were on the core team of Northern Virginia Fun & Fitness with John Flanagan, to give you a reference.
1) The team road-tripped to Cincinnati and had a meet at St. Xavier HS pool hosted by the Cincinnati Pepsi Marlins. You and I shared a hotel room (I think Kiersten Y was also in there) and your dad told us that when he travels, he found hotel rooms to be really dry. So he cranks up a steamy shower and lets it run for a bit to humidify the room. Fast forward, your dad takes us to Perkins for dinner. We come back to the room….yes, having had turned on the shower earlier. The room was soaked and water was dripping a yucky yellow color off the ceiling onto every piece of furniture and our stuff. Everything was soaked. To this day, I still run the shower in hotel rooms, always with a chuckle and a thought of Cord. In fact, I kid you not, I set a hotel smoke detector off doing this, and it had to be evacuated.
2) Junior Nationals East and Senior Nationals were back-to-back in late August of 1984, right after the Olympics. I had made my first NJO cut at a time trial, and you were going to Seniors (maybe you swam both?). At any rate, we were down there for 2 weeks (JF?!?!?)…remember the Bahia Cabana? Key Lime Pie every day? Hoping Rowdy, Rick, Steve, Pablo & Matt would show up? Well, something else I remember is sitting on the bed onto a hot curling iron (ok, why on earth I was taking a curling iron to a swim meet….oh, right I was 15). Your dad took us swimming and windsurfing the next day, and that burn hurt.like.hell. Cord basically was like: suck it up! First and only time I have windsurfed. 3) you hosted a party at your house—can’t recall if if it was a birthday, but it was around Valentine’s Day. I still remember Purple Rain was on the TV in the side room. And your dad showed videos of the team that he had taken over the past few years. One was of us down at UVA-I feel like it was a pseudo dual meet with UVA under Coach B. So from his vantage point, he filmed Pugger and I talking to each other under the diving board. He provided some hilarious flirting commentary, which was totally embarrassing to me (perhaps Pugger, too). I still remember the pink Firenze sweater that I wore to that party…
I look back on the time with your dad and laugh and smile, Christie. Lots of love to you.
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What a nice trip down memory lane with her! He left an impact on many Christie. Hope that will bring you solace.
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Amazing. And amazing memory Megan. Gosh we have some memories. And do you remember the dry ice in the aquarium during the Halloween party that killed all our fish? 🙂 XO
Thanks for your words…
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Captain Smith is missed! Dashing Navy pilot, greatest Dad to my dearest friend, loving grandpa…he was everything to so many. How can anyone sum up a life well-lived, endearing moments and years of experiences in a few words? I have numerous fond memories of my time at the Smith family home. It was a fun place to hang out and it was because of him. There is nothing like laughing with your best friend and sharing stories about our countless hours at the pool. You could always count on Mr. Smith to be there cheering Christie on. He was also a funny man with the wit to match and shared his love for comedy with us. Laughing at the latest Eddie Murphy album and reciting Steven Wright stand-up jokes was good times! You’d also find us playing from the Captain’s classic vinyl collection. Can you believe he allowed us to do that? He was a dedicated and loving father. When I heard of his passing I had tears for the man of a bygone era – he was an officer and a gentleman through and through.
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I’m very sorry for your loss. Blessings
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So sorry Christine. May his memory be a blessing.
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Christine hugs & prayers to you & Ravi. When he would come for s visit he would flash that great smile & tell me how he was glad to see me.
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