Gary E. Smith

Hon. Gary E. Smith was born on October 23, 1931 the 4th of 8 children to Eric P. and Christine Ruth Smith.  A lifelong resident of Rochester New York, he attended Blessed Sacrament Grammar School and the Aquinas Institute of Rochester.  He was a 1949 graduate of Aquinas.  He then attended Niagara University graduating cum laude and after serving two years in the US Army during the Korean Conflict, he attended Albany Law School.

He joined his father Eric in the practice of law in 1958 with the firm of Brown, Zurett, Sullivan and Smith.  He was a well-respected and formidable litigator during his career before joining the Rochester City Court Bench in 1983.  He married his high school sweet heart Joan Winfield in August of 1955.  They raised their five children on the east side of the City of Rochester.  He was active in St. James Parish and believed in Public Service.  As his mother Christine was active in the local branch of the American Red Cross, he donated over 180 pints of blood during his lifetime.  His time in Public Service spanned over thirty years.  He was elected to the first Monroe County Legislature in 1967 defeating future longtime Mayor of the City of Rochester, Thomas Ryan.  It was Mayor Ryan who eventually appointed him to the Rochester City Court Bench in 1983.  In addition to two terms on the Monroe County Legislature, he served two terms on the Rochester City School Board, and was elected by the Board to be its President in the last year of his term in 1982. He was elected twice to the Rochester City Court bench and was the last Republican elected in the City of Rochester on a city-wide basis.  He tried to play golf, liked to play bridge watch Cardinals Baseball and read and, he loved to play poker.  He could easily be heard in the stands cheering at his children’s and grandchildren’s sporting events. 

In 1992 his wife Joan passed.  He was blessed to have met Patricia Wetzel who he married in 1994 and who survives him.  He is also pre-deceased by his parents Eric and Christine, his siblings, Constance, Mark, Pete, Evan Noel and Dale, his grandson Eamon Callanan and Jeffrey Smith, and stepson Don Wetzel. In addition to his wife Patricia, he is survived by his 5 children Karen Callanan, Gary E. Smith, Jr. (Sabrina), Eileen Edsall (Randy), Gregory Smith and Kathleen Schindler (Scott), 15 grandchildren, 6 great grandchildren, many nieces and nephews and his youngest brother Leal.   

There will be no calling hours in advance of the Funeral Mass which will be at St. John of Rochester Church, 8 Wickford Way, Fairport, NY on July 23, 2025 @ 11:00 am. In lieu of flowers, donations in his name may be made to the American Red Cross.

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