Just out of college, I came to work with Art in a wrinkled shirt and he said "What is this you don't iron your shirt?" and I've been starched and creased ever since. Once when Art and I were working together on a property he owned, a pretty rough place, he recounted what happened one morning while he was sitting in his car near the office.  A guy approached and asked Art if he wanted to buy drugs.  After all, people who looked like Art generally were not there to visit relatives, it was an easy mistake.  The dealer asked him what he wanted.  Art replied "Depends how much time you wanna do." The guy took off.  That was Art.

I attended Art's funeral and intended to speak but I was a coming from a doctors appointment and was a bit rattled. I would be doing him a disservice if I don't speak my heart now because he deserved that and then some. There's going to have to be multiple posts because 2,000 characters aren't going to work. This is part 1 of 3.

I worked for Art for many years. I worked for the Country Club for 22 years and though when I started, there were other presidents, it was clear that Art was ultimately running things, with his phase having so many votes. At the beginning, I didn't know a lot about the politics of the club, but I understood THAT. 

I first met him my first year working there. I was the spray tech and he was having issues with his landscaped entrances. I was sent there at the request of the President at that time to help troubleshoot what was going on. I helped out and from there we were always friendly up until he became president of the club, for the second time. I say that because from there it was more of a love/hate relationship. I had two bosses, both great in their own ways, although polar opposites, which is why I think they were the perfect administration because there was a balance. In fact, the decline of his presidency began when that balance was lost and our other boss moved away. He needed someone to call him on his bad decisions, of which he didn't have many If you asked HIM. My relationship with both of them different, but definitely love/hate with this one. 

I'm not a yes person. Art liked "yes people" but what he liked more was a good fight. And boy did we fight! I was the silently nominated one to go in with something needed to be fought out with him, even if it didn't involve my department.  At the end of the day though, there was an overshadowing respect.

(Continued,  part 2 of 3) Art could be a difficult man at times but he was typically defending something, whether it be the club, a member, an employee or a rule. Many people benefited from him, yet because they didn't like him, tend to act like they did not. If you worked for him or lived in the community, I assure you, you did.  Maybe they don't know the behind the scenes but I never saw anything like that man negotiating a contract. Every contract.  He would make large, nationally known businesses change their standard contract that EVERYONE has to sign. Not him. He would force usually a regional manager of a vendor to somehow change (and initial) their overall policies and practices because he was not letting that country club be on the hook for ANYTHING.  No auto renewals, auto price increases, etc lol. He was wild. Budget time was more like fight club. Every penny was discussed. And I had 4 department budgets so I was lucky enough to battle him all day long when it was my turn.

He was good to his employees and to the residents, even though he wasn't well liked by some. I was disgusted with the way he was tossed out of there. A lot of people sat on the sidelines for decades, benefiting from him for many years while he treated that volunteer position like a full time job. He fought everyone down on price, no exceptions. Negotiated a multi million dollar deal with FDOT in which PIRCC got a brand new golf course that they otherwise couldn't have afforded on their own. Speaking of which,  Art, I forgive you for the 37 cents. I won't get into that, I'll just refer back to the love/hate reference and he knows what I'm talking about.

(Continued,  part 3 of 3) So many things come to mind when I think of him, but one of my most notable was his editing and marking up literally anything you brought to him. Letters to residents and vendors, memos, signs, you name it, he HAD TO add or change SOMETHING. Had to put his mark on it. One time a memo that was from me to him, nobody else was going to read it except him but I had to make his revisions on MY memo to HIM. I can tell you with confidence I only left his office twice in about 15+ years with him not correcting a document I wrote. Twice. And I was absolutely shocked he didn't add so much as a comma anywhere. 

He had lots of stories to tell (and jokes) whether or not you wanted to hear them or not. It was oddly one of the things that annoyed me the most yet was one of the things I missed the most when he was no longer working at the club. 

He was so very proud of his grandchildren and great grandchildren, he spoke of them so much so I felt like I knew them personally. A couple times he'd call me in his office and while I got ready for whatever fresh hell awaited me, it was just to brag about his grandkids. 

He could be an absolute pain in the ass but I will always remember him fondly and as one of my favorite bosses. Rest in peace, Art.

OBITUARIO

Arthur Maurice Smith

3 mayo, 1929 – 22 agosto, 2025

Riverside Gordon Memorial Chapels

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