Smith’s legacy will live on through Citizen of the Year
Tim Smith (right) accepted the Citizen of the Year Award, June 14, on behalf of his late brother, Terry Smith, from Cornell mayor Mark Larson (left). Smith passed away in March, but his work to make the city the best it could be, right up until the end, did not go unnoticed. Photo by Ginna Young
By Ginna Young
Each year, the mayor of Cornell, chooses someone he thinks is befitting of the title of Citizen of the Year, someone who has worked and strived to make the city a better place. The award is then handed out during the annual community fair, which took place this year, June 14.
Usually, the mayor enlists help from friends and family, to keep the identity of the selected person a secret, until the night of the presentation, but it was a little different this time around, as the award was given posthumously, to Terry Smith. Smith passed away in March of this year, leaving a hole in the community to which he belonged.
In the words of mayor Mark Larson, everyone who had the opportunity to work with Smith, knew he loved Cornell and its people very much. He was constant, in seeing what can be improved and what could be done to bring visitors to the city.
Smith, known for his love of performing and writing music, also had a deep passion for fishing. So much so, that two large muskies he caught, are now hanging in the Cornell Visitors Center, for all to see.
Beyond that, however, Smith’s passion was for the community to revive itself to its former glory, accomplished, he believed, through tourism and becoming a destination city. As part of that, he worked tirelessly, promoting not only the Mill Yard Park and canoe/kayak launch area, but also the city’s boat launch and Brunet Island State Park.
He was also instrumental in helping plan, promote and run the annual fair. Smith’s dream, one that never came to fruition, was to have a webcam, stationed at the top of the historic pulpwood stacker, so anyone in the world could log on, and see the beauty of the Mill Yard area and Chippewa River.
Smith, always quick with a laugh and a wink, also teased that he wanted a statue of himself, erected somewhere in the city. While he may not have gotten that effigy of himself, the Citizen of the Year plaque is a lasting tribute to all he did for Cornell.
“Terry would be very honored to get this and I know, he’s extremely happy right now,” said his brother, Tim.
