Community

Business leader and philanthropist Walt Smith dies at age 86

Walt Smith, who built a major construction business from scratch and was one of Gig Harbor’s most generous and active philanthropists and volunteers, died May 2 at the age of 86.

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Smith founded Active Construction in Gig Harbor in 1962 and led its growth into a regional giant before selling it in 2005. Today, Active Construction employs more than 200 people and has an average annual revenue of more than $90 million.

Smith and Active helped build many of the neighborhoods of Gig Harbor, according to an obituary published in the Key Peninsula News. But his biggest legacy may be his volunteer and community work.

He was a former member of the Peninsula School Board, the Key Peninsula Metropolitan Parks District commission and the PenLight board of directors. He was an active member of the board and president of the Associated General Contractors of Tacoma and Washington state, and a board member of the Association of Washington Businesses. Smith was also a former vice president of the Gig Harbor Chamber of Commerce and its 2002 Business Person of the Year.

Smith was also a board member of the Harbor History Museum and was instrumental in acquiring the North Harborview Drive land where the museum is now located. A recent Harbor History Museum newsletter item called Smith “the guy who got stuff done.”

“Walt was a true friend of the community, and he will be immensely missed,” history museum director Stephanie Lile wrote in the piece.

Smith’s stepdaughter, Tracy Fisher, wrote on Instagram that Smith loved traveling to the Hawaiian islands of Maui and Kona with his wife, Janice. He was a wine connoisseur, a huge Washington Husky fan and devoted to his friends and family.

“His friends group was huge,” Fisher wrote. “He loved us all. His hugs will be missed. And his big smile.”

Smith was born on Oct. 21, 1936, in Seattle to Herbert and Ruth Smith. He attended school in the younger grades in California and Arizona. Smith graduated from Lincoln High School and then earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Washington in 1961.

It was just a year later that he founded Active Construction with, as the obituary notes, “one employee, one used county pickup truck, and a small bulldozer.”

Walt Smith

“Walt built a Legacy that is to be admired,” Active Construction, or ACI, posted on Facebook on May 19. “Walt was very ‘ACTIVE’ in the Community and Civic Engagement. … Without Walt, none of us would be where we are at today, at a great Company named ACI. He will be missed.”

Survivors include Smith’s wife, Janice; his daughter, Sandy; his son, Kurt; his stepdaughter, Tracy Fisher (Greg); his stepson, Buzz Richards (Kelcy); his grandson, Kurt Jr.; his step-granddaughter, Brooke Fisher; and his step-grandsons, Jeremy Richards, Chase Richards and Mason Fisher.

A celebration of life is planned for 3 p.m. Sunday, June 25, at the Key Peninsula Civic Center, 17010 South Vaughn Road. The obituary said Walt “wanted a fun, casual party … casual/tailgate attire is encouraged.”

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Peninsula Hawks Scholarship Fund (include his name), the Harbor History Museum or Network Tacoma.