Steven Mark Smith

Steve was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1952 to Gerry and Phil Smith and grew up in University City, which, to our best understanding, always beat Ladue. He graduated from U City High in 1970 and attended the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (go Blue!), where he earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology, and then married Pamela Swartz, the coolest chick from his hometown (and anywhere). He went on to earn his PhD in Cognitive Psychology at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

In Steve’s career, he published numerous papers, books, and studies on memory and creativity, mentored countless students, and taught generations of classes, whose evaluations frequently reflected that he sounded like George Carlin. He was a collegiate gymnast, an intramural handball champion, and a relentless bicyclist. He enjoyed cooking, inviting everyone to his house for dinner (and way too much dessert), listening to the blues, rock climbing (even after a double hip replacement and 5 spinal fusions), growing hot peppers and feeding them to people to watch their faces turn red, singing to his dog, and taking care of everyone who crossed his path with an unfailing sense of humor and dedication to honesty and fairness.

He is predeceased by his parents, five cats, six dogs, and Pam. He leaves behind a son, Noah Smith, a daughter, Dara Smith, his amazing girlfriend Debbie Partain, his beloved dog Starlord, two grandkitties, and a grandbunny, his sister Cheryl Levey, his brother David Smith, and their families.

Services for Steve will be held on Sunday, April 19, 2026, at United Hebrew Congregation, 13788 Conway Rd. in St. Louis, with visitation at 1:00 PM and a Funeral Service at 1:30 PM. Interment will follow immediately afterwards at Beth Shalom Cemetery, 650 White Rd. in Chesterfield.

Steve was an avid and passionate believer in science and listened to NPR all day every day, so in lieu of flowers, please send donations to the National Science Foundation (https://www.nsf.gov/about/donate ) or National Public Radio (https://www.npr.org/donations/support).