A memorial service for Ron Smith, one of the first openly gay campaign managers, will be held Thursday, April 10 at 5 p.m. in the North Light Court at San Francisco City Hall, 1 Dc. Carlton B. Goodlett Place.
Mr. Smith died March 18 at a hospital in San Francisco. He was 71.
Mr. Smith, who was openly gay long before it was widely accepted, worked on many campaigns, including Dianne Feinstein's unsuccessful mayoral run in 1975 and Arlo E. Smith's race for San Francisco district attorney in 1979. He also worked on the campaigns of many moderate Republican candidates, including former Congressmen Ed Zschau, Tom Campbell, and Pete McCloskey.
An obituary in the Los Angeles Times said that Mr. Smith is survived by his husband, Richard Ritt; a sister, Shelly Smith Bowman; and numerous nieces and nephews.