Basic Information
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Wesley Dale Smith |
| Approximate birth year | 1930 |
| Date of death | June 23, 2018 |
| Education | B.A. in Greek and Latin, University of Washington, 1951; M.A., Harvard, 1953; Ph.D., Harvard, 1955 |
| Academic appointments | Princeton University, Assistant Professor, 1955 to 1961; University of Pennsylvania, 1961 to 1996 (emeritus from 1996) |
| Notable book | The Hippocratic Tradition, 1979 |
| Major fellowship | Guggenheim Fellowship, 1972 |
| University service | Appointed University Ombudsman, University of Pennsylvania, 1986 |
| Marriages | Lois Smith, married November 5, 1948, divorced 1970; later married Karen Faulkner |
| Children | Moon Elizabeth Smith (daughter); Anthony (son) |
| Stepchildren | Josh Olson (stepson) |
| Grandchildren | Five grandchildren (names not publicly listed) |
| Net worth | No reliable public estimate available |
A Life in Brief: Early Years and Education
Wesley Dale Smith grew into scholarship like a tree grows rings. Each degree marked a season of steady growth. He completed a B.A. in Greek and Latin in 1951, then moved to Harvard where he earned an M.A. in 1953 and a Ph.D. in 1955. By the mid 1950s he had already crossed the Atlantic of apprenticeship and stood on the shore of a professional academic life.
Key dates and numbers:
- 1951: B.A., University of Washington.
- 1953: M.A., Harvard University.
- 1955: Ph.D., Harvard University.
- 1955: Began teaching at Princeton University.
- 1961: Joined University of Pennsylvania faculty.
Academic Career and Contributions
Wesley D. Smith’s career spanned four decades in university classrooms and faculty offices. He began as an assistant professor at Princeton in 1955 and moved to the University of Pennsylvania in 1961, where he progressed through the ranks to professor and later emeritus status upon retiring in 1996. He served in administrative and advisory roles, including a formal appointment as university ombudsman in 1986.
Numerical snapshot:
- Years at Princeton: 1955 to 1961 (approximately 6 years).
- Years at University of Pennsylvania: 1961 to 1996 (35 years).
- Retirement year: 1996.
Smith’s scholarship focused on Greek and Roman literature and the history of ancient medicine. He treated classical texts not as museum pieces but as living instruments, examining how ideas about healing and drama shaped ancient societies. His approach combined textual sensitivity with historical reach.
Publications and Honors
The most visible single work attributed to him is a substantial scholarly book titled The Hippocratic Tradition, published in 1979. The text placed Smith among scholars who traced the continuities and transformations in ancient medical thought. In 1972 he received a prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship, a milestone that signals both peer recognition and time for concentrated research.
Publication and honor timeline:
- 1972: Guggenheim Fellowship awarded.
- 1979: Publication of The Hippocratic Tradition.
Beyond the book, decades of articles, lectures, and mentoring students formed a professional body of work that quietly influenced the study of antiquity rather than dazzling it with flash.
Family and Personal Relationships
Family in Smith’s life appears in parallel lines: a first marriage that intersected with emerging careers and a later marriage that accompanied his later decades. The family was both personal anchor and public point of reference in biographies.
Lois Smith — First Spouse
Lois Smith, the actress, married Wesley on November 5, 1948. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1970. From that union came a daughter, and the pair’s early years together coincided with the couple’s youthful entry into professional life.
Moon Elizabeth Smith — Daughter
Moon Elizabeth Smith is the daughter of Wesley and Lois. Public mentions identify her as their child. She appears in occasional event photographs and in biographical references that highlight the parentage.
Karen Faulkner — Second Spouse
Wesley later married Karen Faulkner. She is listed among survivors in memorial notices and public obituaries. This marriage contributed additional family connections that appear in formal remembrances.
Anthony — Son
A son named Anthony is listed among survivors and family members. Public records and obituaries give him this presence without expanding personal details.
Josh Olson — Stepson
A stepson named Josh Olson is also listed in formal notices. He is part of the blended family referenced in university memorials.
Grandchildren
Five grandchildren are listed among survivors. Their names are not part of public academic memorials, so they remain in the private circle.
A compact family table:
| Relation | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ex-spouse | Lois Smith | Married 1948, divorced 1970; actress |
| Daughter | Moon Elizabeth Smith | Born circa late 1950s; public references as daughter |
| Second spouse | Karen Faulkner | Surviving spouse listed in memorials |
| Son | Anthony | Listed as surviving son |
| Stepson | Josh Olson | Listed as stepson |
| Grandchildren | Five | No public names listed |
Timeline of Milestones
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| circa 1930 | Birth year (approximate) |
| 1948-11-05 | Married Lois Smith |
| 1951 | Completed B.A., University of Washington |
| 1953 | Completed M.A., Harvard |
| 1955 | Completed Ph.D., Harvard; began at Princeton |
| 1961 | Joined University of Pennsylvania faculty |
| 1972 | Awarded Guggenheim Fellowship |
| 1979 | Published The Hippocratic Tradition |
| 1986 | Appointed University Ombudsman |
| 1996 | Retired as professor emeritus |
| 2018-06-23 | Died |
This chronological scaffold shows the cadence of a professional life: education in the 1950s, institutional stability from the 1960s through the 1990s, and scholarly recognition in the 1970s.
Net Worth and Public Rumors
There is no reliable public figure for Wesley Dale Smith’s net worth. He was a career academic whose public footprint lies in scholarship and teaching rather than business or commercial ventures. No credible gossip or scandal connects to his name in academic or mainstream records.
Recent Mentions and Legacy
Since his death in 2018 memorial notices and obituaries have marked his passing. His legacy persists in the students he taught, in the book that bears his name, and in the institutional memory of the departments where he served. Legacy is not a monument in stone. It is a pattern of ideas, a set of trained scholars, and a handful of publications that continue to be read and cited.
FAQ
Who was Wesley Dale Smith?
Wesley Dale Smith was an American classical-studies scholar and university professor known for work on Greek and Roman literature and ancient medicine.
When did he live?
He was born around 1930 and died on June 23, 2018.
What is his most notable publication?
His most notable book is The Hippocratic Tradition, published in 1979.
Who were his family members?
His known family includes ex-spouse Lois Smith, daughter Moon Elizabeth Smith, second spouse Karen Faulkner, son Anthony, stepson Josh Olson, and five grandchildren.
Did he receive any honors?
Yes, he was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1972 and served as University Ombudsman in 1986.
Is there public information about his net worth?
No reliable public estimate of his net worth is available.
Was he involved in scandals?
No credible gossip or scandal is associated with his public record.
Where did he teach?
He taught at Princeton University from 1955 to 1961 and at the University of Pennsylvania from 1961 until his retirement in 1996.
