Favor Ray Smith

Favor was born on April 6, 1939, in Lake Placid to Favor Ransier Smith and Mabel Ray Smith (Ray). He was the youngest of four, with three older sisters: Margaret (Smith) Sinott, Adrienne (Smith) Dawson and Sarah Louise (Smith) Warner, all of whom have predeceased Favor.

Graduating from Lake Placid High School in 1957, a terrific class with well attended class reunions, he remained close to his classmates all his life. After high school, Favor went to Cornell University from 1957 to 1961, joining the ROTC program. After graduating from Cornell, Favor served as a tank commander (lieutenant) in the U.S. Army (16th Armored Group, 6th Army) in Barstow, California. He left active-duty service and started law school at Albany Law School in September 1963, serving in the Army Reserves until being honorably discharged in 1967.

He was an active member of the American Legion Post 326. In 1966, Favor graduated first in his class at Albany Law School, summa cum laude, clerked for the Appellate Division, Third Department, and then in 1967 moved to San Fransisco where he worked in a large law firm. However, he missed Lake Placid and returned to his home in 1968, where he started to practice with attorneys Robert Isham and Norman Hess.

In 1970, Favor started his own practice. For the next 40 years, he gave all his zeal, energy and effort helping clients. He retired from active practice in 2005, but for 10 years after that, he continued to help clients the best he could, often meeting at Bear Cub in the dining room. There were many adventures, many friends and many good times: the Arena Grill Cup at Mount Whitney, sailing Lake Champlain in a J24, skiing at Whiteface and his birthday parties at mid-station, riding his Harley, visiting saloons, traveling across the country.

Favor loved being on the road and started these travels in the late 1950s. In 1959, he and some friends drove through the United States and around the whole of Mexico. He was an avid wine enthusiast, creating and starting his infamous wine collection in 1993. In 2001, he loaded up his Harley and headed for Sturgis, South Dakota, traveling over 7,000 miles as he continued onto Park City, San Francisco and Phoenix to visit his west coast family, and then home. In 2005, on another cross-country trip with his wife, they drove from Lake Placid to Zihuatanejo, Mexico. In that same year, they decided to purchase a home in South Carolina for retirement, always returning each summer to what is always considered home in Lake Placid.

The adventures were endless. His favorite pastime was, of course, on the Bear Cub property where you could always find him either in the woods chopping down trees or on his bulldozer he called “Honey.” Favor was always a friend and missed those who passed too early with photographs on his walls and refrigerators.

Favor is survived by his wife of 31 years, Dianne J. (Potter) Smith; children Favor J. Smith (Betsy), Allison Smith (Mike), Tosha Wofford, Roman Aluisy (Barba) and Damon Aluisy (Maria); two granddaughters Teresa and Anne; and as “Uncle Favor” to numerous nieces and nephews.

Calling hours will be held at the M.B. Clark Funeral Home, 2310 Saranac Ave., Lake Placid, on Friday, Aug. 22, from 1 to 3 p.m. Burial will follow at the North Elba Cemetery. A reception will be held at the American Legion following the burial. The M. B. Clark, Inc., Funeral Home in Lake Placid is in charge of arrangements. Please visit www.mbclarkfuneralhome.com to sign the online guest book, share a memory, upload a photograph or leave condolences for the Smith family.