David Lee Smith

David L. Smith passed away on May 9, 2022 at the age of 92 years.

He was born on July 18, 1929 in Indianapolis, Indiana to Charles “Bud” and Ella Smith. He graduated from Arsenal Technical High School and attended Indiana Central College for two years before transferring to Indiana University in Bloomington.

On November 11, 1949, he married the love of his life, Lucy Ann Evans. In 1952, David graduated from Indiana University with a B.S. in Education, majoring in English with a minor in Speech. He then earned a Master’s degree in 1953 from Indiana University in Speech and Theater. While at IU, he was a leading actor in numerous stage, radio, and television plays and wrote, produced, and directed several original dramas and short story adaptations.

In 1951, David began a long and storied career in radio and television, working as an announcer, cameraman, film editor, writer, producer, director, production manager, and program director for WTTS radio in Bloomington, WTTV television, and WISH-TV. Besides creating, writing, and producing many specials, documentaries, children’s shows, and morning talk shows, he also hosted for 10 years the popular “When Movies Were Movies” television show on WISH-TV, WTHR-TV, and WTTV, featuring classic movies from the 1930’s and 1940’s.

In 1975, he left corporate broadcasting to become an Associate Professor of Telecommunications at Ball State University, becoming a full Professor in 1980, one of the very few Ball State faculty members to do so without a doctorate. At Ball State, he created an internship program for the Department of Telecommunications and supervised it for 23 years, placing hundreds of students in commercial broadcast internships around the country. He also established at Ball State a chapter of Alpha Epsilon Rho, the National Broadcast Society. Within two years, the chapter had 200 members and won “National Chapter of the Year” three times. David served as faculty advisor for the chapter and was named “National Advisor of the Year” in 1983.

In 1987, David took a two year leave of absence from Ball State and became co-owner, vice president, and general manager of WLBC AM-FM in Muncie, fulfilling a life-long dream to be an owner of a radio station. In 1989, he put the first low-power television station in Indianapolis on the air- WFBM-TV, Channel 11- serving as part owner and vice president.

In 1998, David retired from Ball State and that same year, he was awarded the “Sagamore of the Wabash” by Governor Frank O’Bannon, Indianapolis Mayor Steve Goldsmith declared April 10 of that year “Professor Dave Smith Day,” he was selected as “Educator of the Year” by the Indiana Federation of Advertising Agencies, and Ball State named him “Outstanding Telecommunications Faculty Member.” In 2004, he was elected President of The Indiana Broadcast Pioneers, and in 2005, he was inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame.

David was a prolific writer and wrote numerous film articles for such publications as the Saturday Evening Post, Indianapolis Star Magazine, and Classic Images. He was recognized as an authority on a wide range of complex subjects in radio, television, and film. He served on many state government appointments, including the Indiana Film Commission and former Mayor Richard Lugar’s Communications Task Force. He authored three published books: “Hoosiers in Hollywood,” “Sitting Pretty-The Life and Times of Clifton Webb,” and a history of Indianapolis Television.

In his retirement, David continued his life-long passion of playing tennis and became a Master Gardener through a course at Purdue University. He spent countless hours in his beloved flower gardens. He enjoyed traveling and spending time with his family, especially doting on, and entertaining, his grandchildren. He was also an active member of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church.

David is survived by his wife of 72 years, Lucy; sisters Lois Nahre and Linda Belding; brother Robert Smith; children, Stephen Smith, Daniel Smith, and Christy Smith Howe; grandchildren, Amanda Conradt, Emily Smith, Jordan Howe, Jacob Howe, Zachary Howe, Justin Smith, and Sean Smith; and great-grandchild, Jackson Conradt.

Visitation services will be held at Flanner Buchanan – Washington Park East, 10722 Washington Street, Indianapolis, on Saturday, May 21 from 11 AM to 1 PM. The funeral service will commence at 1 PM at the same location with entombment to follow in Washington Park East Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be given to the Dave and Lucy Smith TCOM Intern Scholarship for Minorities. Checks should be made payable to “Ball State Foundation” with “Dave Smith-7456” in the memo line. Donations may be dropped off at Flanner Buchanan on May 21 during the services or mailed to Ball State Foundation, 2800 W. Bethel Avenue, Muncie, IN  47304.