Irving R. Smith passed away at home on September 1, 2019 at the age of 84. He was a loving husband, father, friend and civic leader.

Irving was born in Brooklyn, New York to Calvin and Alberta Smith, their only child. He attended New York public schools in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn where he met his future wife, Jean, in the 5 ^th grade. He graduated from Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan, one of New York City's specialized entrance exam public schools.

While attending City College of New York, Irving "found" his former classmate Jean again on the A train. Both were in college when their romance began. After dating for two years and completing their undergraduate degrees, they married in 1957.

Following his graduation from CCNY with a degree in electrical engineering, Irving stayed on as a lecturer for one year. During this time, he began work on his master's degree at Columbia University. In 1959, he earned his master's degree in electrical engineering and started work at Federal Scientific Corporation, a small engineering firm in New York City. With two young daughters and seeking more challenging work, Irving applied for positions at larger companies on both coasts. In 1965, he accepted a position with the MITRE Corporation in Bedford, Massachusetts.

Irving and Jean moved their family to New England settling initially in Arlington. For several years, Irving traveled back and forth between Arlington and Brooklyn while working at MITRE and completing his PhD at Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn. In 1969, the family moved to Bedford. The following year, Irving earned his PhD in electrical engineering.

Irving retired early from MITRE with nearly 28 years of service. He held a variety of positions including systems engineer, associate department head and principal engineer. During his career, he was a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Armed Forces Commission and Electronics Association, American Defense Preparedness Association, and the Association of Old Crows. Irving's engineering honors and awards included Eta Kappa Nu and Tau Beta Pi.

Irving was a devout Christian. He and Jean joined the First Baptist Church of Bedford. The couple fulfilled many roles at the church over the years. Jean was the church's long-time board secretary. Irving was most recently a deacon and member of the ministry team. He also sang in the choir and volunteered at vacation bible school.

Always willing to serve as well as lead, Irving belonged to or helped create several local civic and interest-based organizations including the Bedford Council on Human Relations, Concerned Black Citizens of Bedford (CBCB), Criterion Phoenix Investment Club and the New England chapter of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society (AAHGS). Irving was the long-time AAHGS-NE newsletter editor in addition to being a featured speaker at national and local conferences and meetings. He held the offices of president or vice president for many of these organizations.

Irving was predeceased by his parents and his step-mother Florence Smith. He is survived by his wife, daughters Adrienne and Lisa both of Georgia, and grandchildren Erica and Travis.

A memorial service will be held on October 26, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. at The First Baptist Church of Bedford, 155 Concord, Bedford, MA 01730. Contributions in lieu of flowers may be made in Irving's memory to The First Baptist Church of Bedford or Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society - New England Chapter, Inc., c/o Stella Pierce, 5 Old Planters Road, Beverly, MA 01915.