Obituary of Peter Anton Smith

Peter Anton Smith suddenly passed on Sunday, March 24, 2024.

Beloved Husband to Rina. Loving father to Olivia and Natalie. Son of Jeanne and the late Tony Smith. Brother of Jeannette (Brian), Susie (Randy), Glenn (Pam), and Diane (Mark). Fabulous uncle and brother-in-law to the Smith and Morrocu families.

Peter was born December 16, 1966 in Fort Devens, Massachusetts. He was raised in Port Washington, NY with siblings Jeanette, Susie, Glenn and Diane. Peter was a dual sport athlete in lacrosse and gymnastics, and furthered his studies at the University of Massachusetts.

At the age of 20, Peter was diagnosed with the rare blood disorder Aplastic Anemia. He underwent treatment and a bone marrow transplant at Memorial Sloan Kettering, and would have been 35 years in remission this upcoming July. Peter’s strength he displayed during this time, carried him throughout his life in everything he did. He will be remembered for his resilience, determination, and optimistic outlook on life.

In 1990 he met his wife Rina and they were married on December 2, 1995. They shared a vast amount of memories such as living in Tokyo and Rye, and eventually settled down in Port Washington where they would have beautiful daughters Olivia and Natalie.

Peter introduced his love of lacrosse to his girls at a young age, and they went on to play Division I at the University of Pennsylvania and Syracuse University. It is through this that he found his love for coaching, impacting a multitude of athletes within Port Washington and Team Elevate.

Peter’s talent and passion for building, originating from time spent with his father, led him to open PADON development which he successfully ran for 18 years. He thoroughly enjoyed working with the families in Port Washington and Manhasset, ultimately making their dreams a reality.

Although Peter’s life was cut short at 57, the family will hold all of the memories of boating, vacations, lacrosse tournaments, and holidays close to their hearts.

Peter will forever be remembered for his ability to light up a room. He smiled with his soul and his happiness was contagious. He was a friend to all. He always knew the right thing to say, and instilled belief in you when you doubted yourself. He helped others through some of the darkest part of their lives, being that source of resilience, motivation, and comfort.

We thank everyone for their love and support, and will continue to uphold Peter’s values for the rest of our lives.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Syracuse Women’s Lacrosse Program

Head Coach, Kayla Treanor

In honor of Peter Smith

Donations to Syracuse Women’s Lacrosse Program