Gerald H Smith

Gerald was born October 2, 1933, to Meyer and Emma Smith in Houston, Texas.

After graduating from Allen Academy in Bryan, TX in 1950, he earned a Bachelor’s in Accounting from Texas A&M University and obtained his CPA license. A lifelong learner, Gerald returned to school later in life – while his three daughters with his first wife, Rita Minsky, (d) were attending high school and college – to earn his MBA from the University of Texas at Dallas.

Gerald worked for several years as a CPA in Houston and then in Dallas, before joining S&Q Clothiers, a private menswear retailer. In 1974, he opened his eponymous retail consulting firm, Gerald H. Smith and Associates. Gerald got his pilot’s license and flew himself all over the country to consult with his clients, many of whom were located in smaller urban areas.

In 1992 Gerald was the recipient of the Menswear Retailers of America (MRA) Industry Award. MRA President Rush Wilson cited Gerald’s three plus decades of involvement in the menswear specialty store industry which included fourteen years as a specialty store executive and the past seventeen years as a consultant and educator. “Gerald has made enormous contributions to the specialty store industry. He was instrumental in the formation of MRA’s Financial and Operations Group (FOG), a leader in the development of the MRA Basic Men’s Wear Accounting Manual, which continues to be the standard for specialty store accounting….”

In retirement, Gerald continued his love of mentoring by sharing his business expertise as a volunteer for the U.S. Small Business Administration’s SCORE (Service Core of Retired Executives) program to help small businesses plan, launch, manage and grow. He derived tremendous satisfaction from helping specialty retail business startups and owners grow and achieve new levels of success.

Despite his physical limitations, Gerald loved sports and the outdoors. He took his daughters fishing and boating, teaching them how to water ski and play football. They have fond memories of whitewater rafting, attending sporting events, watching the Dallas Cowboys on TV, and traveling during the summer to interesting locales throughout the U.S. He also taught them all how to change a tire before they went off to college.

Throughout his life, he was an avid bridge player, nearly achieving Life Master status.

In retirement, Gerald and his wife, Lenore traveled extensively in their RV. They lived in Texas, Colorado, Arizona, and finally, back in Colorado.

Gerald is survived by his wife Lenore, by his daughters and sons-in-law Jerralyn More (Avery), Michelle Blasingame (Ray) and Cheryl Smith, by his stepchildren David (Sue), Karen, Cyndi and Lisa Brenner, his four step grandchildren and his sister Bobbie Kestenbaum (Leon).

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association, https://www.cmtausa.org