From Mater Dei to Russia

By Mallory (Goebel) Hertel ‘07 Director of Advancement

Richard (Rick) Smith ’70 is hard to keep up with. Ever since graduating high school, he has been on the move in some way, shape or form. Upon graduation, Rick headed to the Navy and not long after was drafted to Vietnam. Post-Vietnam, he continued his Naval career and spent some time in Hong Kong and Singapore. Once he completed his time in the armed services, Rick came home and attended ISUE followed by IU and finally rounded out his academic career at Cornell.

Early in his career, Rick found himself out on the East coast. Later in life as a contractor in Nantucket, Rick partnered with a work-study group where he first started his relationship and appreciation for the Russian culture. Russian students would come to the US for this program and Rick would meet with them for lunch and they would exchange stories, he would help them work on their English, and they would just enjoy each other’s company. After 3 months, they would leave and go back to Russia. They would tell their community about the program and “some strange guy with all these stories.” One of the people they told was Svetlana. Svetlana is a scholar from Amhurst and Professor of English in Pushkin, St. Petersburg, Russia. She and Rick would eventually go on to be married in 2015.

In 2012, Rick retired in Nantucket. Not long after, he took off for England as his first vacation spot post-retirement. He spent about a month there and eventually bought a home there because he liked it so much. He would travel back and forth for medical visits and to see family. Throughout the years, Rick still continued contact with the Russian people from his workstudy program and Svetlana. Finally, in 2014 Rick made the permanent move to Russia where he still lives to this day. This move influenced his next chapter in life. As previously mentioned, Rick and Svetlana went on to marry. Although retired, you won’t find Rick just sitting around. He spends a lot of his time traveling. He is often asked to speak at universities across Russia. “I get asked to speak all the time—I haven’t taught a day in my life but my talks tend to always go over well as these kids have never heard a real American speak.” When asked if he considered himself fluent in Russian, Rick answers, “I can piece it together but I don’t think I’m very good.”

“Russians are great people; they’ve seen everything. They have such resolve and they are tough. They are just like the people here: they get up, get dressed, go to work, and take care of their families. Family is everything. Where I live now reminds me a lot of Evansville. You wouldn’t know you were in Russia if the people weren’t talking. That and the architecture give it away.”

Because of Rick, Mater Dei has its own group of supporters on the other side of the globe in Pushkin, St. Petersburg, Russia. “I still keep up with MD. I watched the state wrestling finals on the internet. Of course it was the middle of the night because they are 9 hours ahead of Evansville.”

Rick and classmates from 1970 catch up over breakfast.

Rick still makes his way back to Evansville about once a year to visit friends and family as his mom, son, and sister all still live in Evansville. You can find him occasionally grabbing breakfast with old 1970 classmates at Libby & Mom’s Café. He often takes his grandkids to school when he is in town and they lovingly refer to him as “Dedushka,” Russian for grandfather. When not catching up with family and friends during his visits, Rick enjoys walking the city and taking hundreds of pictures. “I walk 5-10 miles a day just taking it all in and observing what has changed.” Rick has no plans of slowing down any time soon.

Rick and friends in Russia cheer on the Wildcats