Delbert "Del" Smith

Dec 17, 1943 -

May 2, 2024

Delbert "Del" Smith, born in 1943 in Yakima, Wash., to Elsie and Virgil Smith, left us on May 2, 2024, after suffering a stroke. Del arrived in Alaska in 1963 with the U.S. Air Force as a military police officer, in time to experience the 1964 earthquake. Following his tour, he changed careers to surveying and was assigned to the Hope electric line project.

After realizing how cold the job was, he applied to the Anchorage Police Department, where he served from 1968-1988. He began as a patrol officer. He continued his APD career as a community relations officer, polygraph specialist, detective, detective lieutenant, captain of administrative services, detective captain and deputy chief of operations. A newspaper reporter penned him as "Captain Gucci," most likely due to his stylish choice of wearing his Klopfenstein/Stallone clothing on the job.

After retiring from APD, he opened his own consulting firm specializing in criminal justice research, investigations and police management. In 1994, he was drafted by both his APD partner in crime and especially good friend Ron Otte, Public Safety Commissioner serving under Governor Tony Knowles. Del was appointed deputy commissioner and eventually commissioner when Ron retired. During his law enforcement years, he was widely known as the Christmas popcorn man when he made his mother's special red and green popcorn balls and delivered over 300 to friends, family and public safety employees. In 2002, Del retired from the State. It wasn't a long retirement. He was hired by 5 Star to manage the Alaska Land Mobile Radio project. During this time, he also served as a government affairs consultant for the Anchorage Police Department Employees Association.

Del never failed to help others in need and had a heart of gold. He always remembered his formative years growing up in a fruit and vegetable farm working family with his six siblings and knew how difficult it was with very little to eat. His wish was everyone should be able to have food stability.

Over the years, Del became an avid skier, looked forward to his summer motorcycle rides, enjoyed fine wine with friends, was a gourmet cook, never missed his trips to Seattle for a Seahawks game, loved spending time with good friends and adored his extended family.

In addition to his wife Cathy, he is survived by his brother, Norvin (Mary Lou); son, Derek (Laura); grandsons, Guthrie (Kyli) and Holden (Amanda); three great-grandchildren, Milo, Maddux and Paislee; daughter, Karen Peters; granddaughter, Sunny (Dan) Zeiger; many nieces and nephews; his Wisconsin/Maine family; and many fabulous and lifelong friends.

In lieu of flowers, Del would welcome those who are able to pay it forward by a donation to a local food bank of your choice to help address food insecurity.

We want to invite friends of Del's who knew him to a shindig in his honor on Sunday, May 19, 2024, from 2-6 p.m., at O'Malley's on the Green. We will laugh and sip as we tell all of his tales. He won't be able to join us, but he will certainly hear us. Thank you for all your support and love for our fun, one-of-a-kind Del.

- The Smith family