Dale Clarence Smith

Dale Clarence Smith, beloved husband, adored father and cherished Grampy, died peacefully at home Monday, January 16th surrounded by all the sounds, sights and smells that he was so familiar with and comforted by.

He was born a 5th generation Cape Codder on October 5th, 1949 to Clarence and Phyllis Smith of Wellfleet, MA. Although Dale was an only child he never felt that way, he was surrounded by a family of close knit cousins and a neighborhood bustling with many kids who found all sorts of ways to create fun and mischief.

Dale discovered his lifelong passion at a young age: cars, hot rods and anything with an engine. By the time he was five years old, he could identify every car by sight and many by sound alone. He could tell you the make and model of every classic car and knew the ins and outs of engines like the back of his hand. He loved cars so much he was affectionately nicknamed ‘Daley Dashboard’ as a child.

He attended Wellfleet Elementary School and Nauset High School as well as East Coast Aero Tech where he learned about plane mechanics. He was a hard worker, his wife Kathy would joke that he was a ‘company man’ because of his devotion to his work, it mattered to him that he was reliable and did a good job.

He found many things he was good at, most involved working with his hands and mechanics. After school he worked for his uncles building houses and for Bay Sails Marine working on boats. His favorite job was the many years he spent working for John F. Noons in Truro surrounded by big rigs and big equipment. He built a strong friendship with his boss Ducky and learned to operate and fix everything from dump trucks to loaders to backhoes and built multiple Autocar dump trucks from parts.

He left Noons to work for Tilcon only because the company offered health insurance that he wanted to provide for his children. There he learned to operate an asphalt paving machine and worked with a close knit crew of guys who made the work fun.

His last job before retirement was working for the town of Wellfleet as their maintenance mechanic. He spent 17 years maintaining all of the towns vehicles and equipment as well as operating equipment, driving trucks and plowing snow.

When he wasn’t at work you’d most likely find him tinkering in his garage, working on his hot rods. His true labor of love was his 1953 Chevy pickup, he spent 15 years getting it just how he wanted it and he loved taking it out for cruises on the back roads. Dale always thought the more horsepower the better and this truck was a testament to that, he loved to go fast and make his passengers hearts skip a beat!

He cherished his role as dad to his two children, Dale Smith of Harwich MA and April Smith Tesson of Wellfleet MA. They, along with his grandson Hayden, were the light of his life. As a dad, he had never ending patience for their many questions and was always eager to teach and explain things to them. During the summers he would bring them to work with him so they could spend extra time together. They rode in loaders and dump trucks, backhoes and pavers with him. They especially loved riding in the big rigs and if they happened to doze off he would affectionately wake them up using the trucks air horn. As a Grampy, he loved playing matchbox cars with Hayden and showering him with lots of love and tons of hugs.

Shortly after retirement Dale was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease, which he faced with quiet courage. Early on he vowed to not forget those he loved the most and in a true triumph he kept that promise. His wife of 35 years, Kathy was truly his North Star and caregiver throughout the course of the disease and until the end. Her resilience and strength kept him anchored and is a true testament to the marriage vows ‘in sickness and health’. His grandson Hayden kept him laughing and smiling through it all and taught the rest of us what true acceptance and finding joy in the present moment looks like.

They say it takes a village to raise a child, but an illness like Alzheimer's also requires a village of support. Thank you to all who rallied around Dale, especially Jack Longo, his faithful caregiver, and to those who showed up in the very end, Annmarie and Heidi from Broadreach Hospice, and friends and family who were there when the going got tough. And to Lola, his faithful pup who never left his side, and showered him with way too many kisses when we weren’t looking.

Respecting Dale’s wishes there will be no services.