McClure Llewellyn Smith

Dr. McClure “Mac” Smith was born November 18, 1938, at home in Lafontaine, Kansas, the son of Hobart A. Smith and Margaret (Townsend) Smith. He died on September 28, 2026, at Hospice House – The Josie Harper Residence in Omaha, Nebraska, surrounded by the love of his family.

Mac grew up in a close-knit family and looked up to his four older siblings. His mother, an English teacher, eventually resigned herself to the fact that neither his penmanship nor his spelling were likely to improve. Mac remembered his childhood fondly, telling stories of a household filled with games, teasing, and of driving his brothers’ hand-me-down cars held together with baling wire. To this day, his children are not entirely sure whether his stories of receiving only one pair of shoes a year and growing up without indoor plumbing were fact or family legend.

What was never in doubt was how much those early years meant to him. Mac carried many of his childhood traditions into his own family: gathering around the table for meals, sharing Quaker and Bible stories that reflected their values, enjoying good-natured teasing, puns, “dad jokes,” and bringing the extended family together for vacations whenever possible.

Friends University in Wichita, Kansas, held a special place in Mac’s life. His parents met while attending Friends, and Mac later followed three of his siblings to the university, graduating in 1960 with degrees in chemistry and mathematics. Professors recognized his potential, encouraged his research, helped him secure work as an analytical chemist, and supported his education financially. Mac never forgot their generosity or the friendships he formed during college. He remained a devoted supporter of Friends University and its students throughout his life and was honored in 1990 as a Distinguished Alumnus.

After Friends, Mac attended the University of Kansas Medical Center. In 1963, while in medical school, a petite, friendly nurse caught his eye, and Mac and Mary quickly became inseparable, drawn together by shared values and an easy companionship. They married on November 21, 1964, beginning a partnership of more than 61 years centered on faith, family, and friends. Together, they built a home and welcomed two children, Tim and Sarah.

Although Mac’s career often required long hours, he and Mary made their family a priority. They were committed to sharing meals around the dinner table, attending church together, and enjoying traditions that brought them closer. Annual camping trips and ski vacations became treasured parts of their children’s childhoods.

Mac loved being outdoors, and hiking, skiing, and exploring the mountains became some of the family’s most enduring memories.

Mac devoted his professional life to medicine, teaching, and women’s health care. He earned his medical degree from the University of Kansas Medical Center in 1964 and served with the U.S. Public Health Service, Division of Indian Health, in Chinle, Arizona, where he was Director of Community Health Services. He completed his residency in obstetrics and gynecology and a fellowship in gynecologic oncology at UCLA. His academic career took him to UCLA, the University of Nebraska Medical Center, and the University of Oklahoma before he returned to Nebraska in 1987 as Professor and Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UNMC. During his career, he trained generations of physicians, conducted clinical cancer research as a National Cancer Institute investigator, and held the Distinguished Chris J. and Marie A. Olson Chair of Clinical Investigation in Obstetrics and Gynecology. His commitment to women’s health and medical education continued through the establishment of the McClure L. Smith Professorship in Gynecological Oncology at UNMC. He retired from UNMC in 2000 as Professor Emeritus.

During retirement, Mac and Mary built their dream log cabin in Estes Park, Colorado, where they enjoyed 15 memorable years. The mountains suited Mac well. He loved nature and found pleasure in hiking, skiing, reading, and completing small woodworking projects. This chapter also gave them more time for one another and for the community they loved. They volunteered with the Estes Valley Library, Salud Family Health Center, Presbyterian Community Church of the Rockies, and Highland Camp and Retreat Center. They continued to enjoy travel, time with family and friends, their church community, and the beauty of the Rocky Mountains.

As Mary’s health needs increased, Mac remained her devoted caregiver, supporting her with the same steadfastness and commitment that had characterized their life together. In 2015, health concerns brought them back to Wichita, Kansas, to be closer to family and to live at a lower altitude. They became active members of Grace Presbyterian Church, volunteering as they were able and participating in fellowship groups, including the Steamers and the men’s Scotch and Scripture Bible study.

Mac was a firm but supportive father who expected much from his children, encouraged their independence, and made certain they knew they could count on him. He also knew how to have fun, filling family time with games, wordplay, and good-natured teasing. As a grandfather, he was more indulgent, happily ignoring snack limits and bedtimes. He shared endless bowls of ice cream with Emily and Jake, played games, teased and joked with them, and chuckled at every dad joke, no matter how bad. As they grew older, he took immense pleasure in hearing about their lives, interests, adventures, the people they chose to share their lives with, and the paths they were choosing for themselves.

Mac will be remembered for his deep respect for nature, his devotion to his family, his good nature and sense of humor, and the simple principle that guided his life: to treat others as he would want to be treated.

Mac was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Mary L. (Longenecker) Smith; his parents; and his siblings, H. David Smith, Vincent Smith, Dr. Daniel Smith, and Lydia (Smith) Broadstreet. He is survived by his son, Timothy “Tim” Smith; his daughter, Sarah Litel-Smith and her husband, Richard “Rick” Litel-Smith; and his grandchildren, Emily (Casey) Craven and Jacob “Jake” (Renee) Litel-Smith.

A memorial service will be held at Grace Presbyterian Church, 5002 E. Douglas Avenue, Wichita, Kansas 67208, on Friday, October 23, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. A private family interment will follow at Wichita Park Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Hospice House – The Josie Harper Residence, 7415 Cedar Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68124.