Dean Smith 1931-2023
John Wayne and Dean Smith on set
Preston Davis just informed me of the passing of Dean Smith. The accompanying obituary covers his life in great detail. We also had a posting on Dean Smith several years ago. (see links below)
Hi George…
I’ve attached the obituary of Dean Smith, Longhorn great who you featured a few years ago. Dean passed away about a month ago and was 91…from cancer. He led quite a life: great high school and college sprinter, gold medal from Helsinki Games from winning USA 4x100, Hollywood stuntman and best friends with John Wayne, Jim Garner, and others, rodeo cowboy and rancher. He was inducted into four Hall of Fames:
- University of Texas Hall of Honor
- Hollywood Stuntman Hall of Fame
- Texas Sports Hall of Fame
- Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame
I first met Dean at the Coliseum Relays in 1963. Our UT two mile relay team was scheduled to compete and Dean contacted our coach and invited us out to his “ranch” in the San Fernando Valley. He had a few acres where he trained his horses. When I first met him he was already a star…he had been in The Alamo with John Wayne and at age 31, he was in his stuntman prime. We stayed in touch through the years. He was a true gentleman cowboy who loved his Longhorns…both the University and the cattle he had on his ranch!
The attached obit also has a couple of videos re Dean’s life.
Hook ‘em…
Preston
https://www.morrisonfuneralhome.com/ obituaries/finis-dean-smith
Dean Smith on Once Upon a Time in the Vest
A dear friend and one of the great Texas Athletes. Earl Young
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