Dr. William (Bill) R. Smythe, a retired associate professor in mathematics, died peacefully on February 14, 2012 after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer two weeks earlier. Bill graduated from Rollins College in 1950, where he met his wife, Jackie. He went on to earn his Ph.D. from Duke University in 1955. Bill came to Georgia Tech as an assistant professor in the fall after his graduation and was promoted to associate professor in 1959. He took an early interest in the teaching of the linear programming course offered by the School and in 1966 coauthored a popular undergraduate text on that subject. He retired in 1981. His wife, Jackie, worked in the school for several years after Bill's retirement.

A nice obituary written by Atlanta Journal-Constitution editor, Joe Geshwiler.