From the moment Larry Smith arrived at Suffolk University in 1961, he began forming a legacy of hard work, kindness, generosity and support that would continue in his more than 60 years as a proud Suffolk Ram.

Smith passed away peacefully Oct. 15 at his home in Boca Raton, Florida at 82-years-old. 

Smith was born in Chelsea, Massachusetts on July 11, 1942. Larry’s roots were always close to his heart, establishing a drive and a work ethic that would bring Smith and his older brother, Michael Smith, to be the first in their family to graduate from college and become successful businessmen.

“Larry was always a kid of Chelsea, he never forgot his roots, and it was a blue collar background. That was part of what he brought to the equation here at Suffolk – a sense of gratitude in the sense of what Suffolk provided to him and Michael, the opportunities that changed his life. He never forgot that, and he always wanted to pay it back,” said Bob Lamb, chair of the Board of Trustees and long-time friend of Smith. 

Smith was a leader committed to providing support and care to others around him from the early days in his Suffolk career. During his time at Suffolk, pursuing a business administration degree that he graduated with in 1965, Smith served as a captain for the Rams’ basketball team. The star forward was later inducted to the athletics hall of fame.

“I think he would say Suffolk took a chance on him and helped him. He was able to play basketball here and he got a scholarship and so he gave back because he had that support, but he also worked really hard while he was here and afterwards,” said Suffolk President Marisa Kelly.

Smith was no stranger to hard work – throughout his time as a student, he funded his education by working various jobs, including as a window washer and at Fenway Park. His experiences instilled values of tenacity and the importance of support networks. These values would later shape how Smith approached giving back to the community, providing generations of students the opportunity to have their own Suffolk stories. 

“He really believed that if you worked hard and had some support from the people around you, which is why he gave  scholarships, that you could really move forward in life,” said Kelly.

While Smith was still a Suffolk student in 1962, the brothers founded Brookfield Insurance Agency. Starting with a storefront in Brockton, Massachusetts, the business grew to seven locations throughout the state.

After selling Brookfield in 1980, the Smith brothers moved to Florida and founded Nation Safe Drivers Group. Smith’s impact stretched down the coast from Boston to the home he made in Boca Raton.

“There are times when I’ll be at an alumni event in Florida in particular and a young graduate will say ‘I’ve met Larry or Michael as a student and he’s continued to be a mentor to me,’” said Kelly.

Smith was named to Suffolk’s Board of Trustees in 2016, and made an immediate and long-lasting impact on the culture of the group and how it interacts with the community, as Lamb described.

Among Smith’s many passions, he found joy, and a way to spread it to others, through learning magic. He would regularly show his fellow board members a new trick to kick off meetings.

“I can never think about my friend Larry without smiling,” said Lamb. “Even given today, when I think about Larry, I smile because he was just that kind of guy. I never saw him without a smile on his face and looking for the humor in life,” said Lamb.

Smith’s altruism and genuine care for everyone he met rung through in every area of his life, from his love for his family, to morning coffee breaks with Lamb and showing up for Suffolk events.

“He was really a renaissance man. He was interested in everything, willing to help out everybody, but his passion was his family and his passion was Suffolk University and that came out loud and clear,” said Lamb.

For the Smith brothers, Suffolk athletics became one of the areas where they directed their support and philanthropy. As a student-athlete himself, Larry Smith saw the power of sport in lessons and skills stretching beyond practices and plays.

“I think he felt ties to that sense of hard work, but really the way in which athletics can build character, teamwork, collaboration, leadership skills, and also fun and physical wellness, which was very important to him,” Kelly said.

The Smith brothers’ impact can be seen throughout campus. Kelly hopes that these monuments to the brothers represent the core of Suffolk’s values to community members for years to come.

“When you see the name Smith on Smith Hall or in the Smith Commons that it’ll be a reminder of that possibility in people, and I think it’s something we can all try to emulate. The world would be a better place if we were all a little more like Larry Smith,” said Kelly.

For those who knew and loved Smith, his tall frame, always wearing at least one piece of Suffolk swag and an infectious smile, will always represent a legacy and commitment to creating opportunities and making change.

“Philanthropy was just part of the Larry Smith story. He was all-in on Suffolk, and Suffolk was his happy place, and he was happy being here,” said Lamb.