Obituary of William Kemp Smythe

William Kemp “Kip” Smythe, Jr., age 67, passed away on Friday June 9, 2017 at his home in Cave Creek, Arizona. 

Kip was born in Cheverly, Maryland on November 21, 1949.  A graduate of DeMatha Catholic High School, he went on to earn his Bachelors of Science and MBA from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland.

Kip was a loving husband to his wife Cathy and a dedicated father to his two daughters and four grandchildren.  Upon retirement, Kip and his wife Cathy moved from Northern Virginia to their home in Cave Creek, Arizona where he enjoyed playing golf and driving his antique convertible 1967 Corvette Sting Ray.  He was a huge sports fan, a very passionate Maryland Terrapins supporter, and a fan of all DC home teams including the Redskins and the Capitals.  He spent many years traveling to destinations all over the world for both business and leisure.  Kip was quick to make friends and enjoyed sharing laughs with friends both old and new.

Kip worked at NPES for 33 years before retiring in 2013 from his role as Vice President of Global Programs.   A recognized leader in the printing industry, he served as Executive Secretary of the International Color Consortium (ICC) for 20 years, and was President of the PRIMIR research organization for over 8 years.  In 2013, Kip received the Meritorious Service Award from the American National Standards Institute, and was inducted into the National Association of Printing Leadership Soderstrom Society in 1995.

Kip is survived by his loving wife Catherine Byrne, his two daughters, Crystal Epton (Wes) and Stacey Voloshin (Chris), and his four grandchildren:  Laney (5), Knox (3), William (2) and Brady (3 months).  He was preceded in death by his parents Veronica Kathleen Wheeler and William Kemp Smythe, Sr., and his uncle Reid Garvin Smythe. 

A celebration of Kip’s life will be held at the Adams Green Funeral Home in Herndon, Virginia on June 24, 2017.  Visitation will begin at 1:30 PM with a funeral service to follow at 3:00 PM.  A reception will take place immediately after the service at the Thai Tada Restaurant in Herndon, Virginia.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Kip’s memory to the Maryland Terrapin Club or the Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation.  The family wishes to extend their gratitude to all of Kip’s friends and colleagues who have shared their love and support. 

Maryland Terrapin Club Donations:

Check payable to:         UMCP Foundation

Note:                           In Memory of William “Kip” Smythe

Send to:                      2713 Xfinity Center

                                  8500 Paint Branch Drive

                                  College Park, MD 20740

                                  Attn:  Bryan Six            

Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation:

Check payable to:      PGSF

Note:                        In Memory of William “Kip” Smythe

Send to:                   301 Brush Creek Road

                               Warrendale, PA 15086-7529

Online:                     http://pgsf.org/donate-now/