A. Barrett Smith

Alan Barrett Smith, age 86, died Saturday, December 8, 2018, at Carriage House in Greensboro NC. He lived most of his life in New Jersey before moving to Greensboro in 2016 to be closer to his son and daughter-in-law. Born October 31, 1932 in Somerville NJ, Barrett was the son of the late Arthur B. and Ada Mae (Fuller) Smith. He was raised in Somerville, graduated from Somerville High School, and the Blair Academy, earned his Bachelors Degree from Marietta College (OH) and his Masters of Science Degree from the University of Michigan in 1958. After graduation, Barrett traveled frequently and eventually joined the Franklin Township (Somerset County) School System where he taught Earth Sciences for thirty-five years. While working in Franklin Township, he formed in 1965 and coached the Women’s Track & Field team and in 1971 he formed and coached the Women’s Cross Country team. After his retirement from teaching, Barrett was inducted as a member of the Franklin Township Sports Hall of Fame for his efforts in those programs. He wedded Bernice Jacobson in 1966 and the two were married 49 years until her death in 2015. Together they adopted many Bedlington Terriers while living in Flemington NJ, a place where they loved to watch the many species of wildlife that passed through their yard. In addition, the two enjoyed taking in a symphony, going to the opera and other events in the Hunterdon County-Somerville area. Barrett was a big lacrosse fan, especially of the Hunterdon Central Regional High School teams. Most of all, Barrett was an avid reader of anything he could get his hands on, from technical manuals to sonnets and poetry – Barrett read them. Prior to its becoming popular, Barrett was “Google” before Google was an option. He was the “go to” resource for those who wanted to know, remembering details of all that he read. Even while being under the care of the Memory Unit at Carriage House, he was “winning” at his daily ritual of watching ‘Jeopardy’ on television. Barrett is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Evan A. Smith and Jennifer L. Rierson of Greensboro NC, his brother-in-law and his wife, Eugene and Shirley Jacobson of Allentown PA, and his sister-in-law, Elaine Larson of Connecticut, as well as his beloved granddogs, Jackson and Mick. Funeral service for Barrett will be held at 2:00 pm on Sunday, December 16, 2018 at Holcombe-Fisher Funeral Home, 147 Main Street, Flemington NJ 08822. Interment will follow in Prospect Hill Cemetery in Flemington. Calling hours will be Sunday from 12 noon until the time of service at the funeral home. Memorial contributions in Barrett’s name may be made to the NJ Audubon Society, 9 Hardscrabble Road, Bernardsville, NJ 07924 or to the SPCA of the Triad, 3163 Hines Chapel Road, Greensboro, NC 27405. For further information or to leave an online condolence, please visit www.holcombefisher.com.