Memorial held for former officer

The lives of Patricia and Richard Smith were celebrated Saturday at Tivoli Too by family members and friends.

Smith died April 24, outliving his wife by almost four years. He was 92.

A resident of Laguna Beach for 80 years, Smith was a part- owner and manager of the Coast Inn and Boom Boom Room until he retired 27 years ago. In the 1930s, he served in the Laguna Beach Police Department.

The Coast Inn was built in 1927 by Smith’s father and was Laguna’s second hotel. Smith ran Coast Inn Liquor Store until he retired when he was 65 years old.

“He was part of our extended family,” said retired Police Chief James Spreine, who came to Laguna from his Washington home to be master of ceremonies at the memorial. “Each and everyone who has ever served on the police force is a family member.”

Smith’s service was so long ago, the department doesn’t have exact records, Spreine said. When Smith was in uniform, the police carried guns and handcuffs ? that was it. No radios, no computers.

“There was this great big, red light on top of the Hotel Laguna and when the light went on Dick would go to telephone and call the station to get directions,” Spreine said.

One of Smith’s favorite activities was chasing rum runners.

“His eyes lit up when he talked about it,” Spreine said. “He had a lot of fun until prohibition was over and then the family got into the [liquor] business.”

Spreine first learned about Smith one day when he was at the Boom Boom Room with two other police chiefs who attended the FBI Academy.

“We were razzed at the Academy about wearing Hawaiian shirts to classes so we decided to have our pictures taken at the Boom Boom for a Christmas card to send back East,” Spreine said. “Someone [at the bar] asked if we knew about Dick Smith and I thought, ‘Gee here is a guy that’s older than dirt and he served in our department.’ So I said, bring him on down to the station. He was a brother officer and a special man to the police department.”

Melissa Smith of Fernley, Nevada, said her father told her great stories about the family’s businesses, including the liquor store, of which she has fond memories.

“In the summer, he would give my brother and me a cooler filled with popsicles and send us to the beach to sell them,” Smith said. “I never would have been able to have my own business without him.”

A weeping Bud Smith of Atascadero said his father touched the lives of people the family will never know and his brother, Rick Smith of Seattle, said their quiet, reserved father would have been amazed at the 100 or so people who attended the memorial service, including members of early Laguna families, Richard Jahraus and Jane Janz.

Carolyn Burris of Laguna Beach lived with her father the last five years of his life. She is a founding member of the support group for caregivers of the elderly at Laguna Presbyterian Church, hosted by The Rev. Kathy Sizer, who said the opening prayer at the memorial.

After the children spoke, caregiver Jack Middleton sang “Wind Beneath My Wings,” and a Smith family video was played.

The family presented their father’s police badge to the department. Tom Wall, who will be honored May 25 as the Exchange Club of Laguna Beach 2006 Officer of the Year, accepted the presentation on behalf of the department.

Middleton sang “Ave Maria” to conclude the memorial.