Obituary of Ryan Andrew Smith
Ryan Andrew Smith, 23, of Belmar, New Jersey, passed away on Monday, December 7, 2020. The youngest of three brothers, he was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan where he lived before moving to Hillsborough, North Carolina in 2001. Ryan attended school in Orange County and Chapel Hill Carrboro Schools, as well as, The Hill Center, prior to graduating from Tarheel Challenge Academy in April 2016.
People gravitated to Ryan's heartwarming smile and witty personality. He loved the outdoors, the open road, fishing, boating, skateboarding and mountain biking. He excelled at long distance running and tennis. Ryan enjoyed working in home construction and, most recently, HVAC ventilation systems. He hoped to one day start a glass blowing business. If you spent enough time with him you would discover some of his unique talents, like spotting a four-leaf clover while casually walking through a field, pealing foil gum wrappers without a single tear, understanding and explaining science beyond his education, and an uncanny ability to hold a plank long enough to beat anybody who challenged him.
The timing of Ryan's leaving surprised all of us and probably even him. He had come to terms with his substance abuse disorder and bravely fought his addictions. With a prayerful heart, he sought healing through everything he and his family could find, from alternative pharmaceuticals to faith based and mental health recovery programs. He met, and was helped by, many wonderful people along the way. Ryan went from being an angry, strung out, self-loathing adult teen to a young man of strength, hope and promise. Embracing life, he was finally living again, taking care of himself, growing and giving back to others. He wanted to help them avoid and overcome the demons he struggled with. Ryan made his family proud. To those he left behind, he would tell them that he didn't mean to leave so soon or hurt them, to never give up and to live their best lives. Ryan was involved with a new venture that his friends started. STOP&STAIR https://stopandstair.com/ is a printing and interior design company with a mission to help rebuild those in recovery and underserved communities one step at a time by providing career opportunities while teaching transferable job skills, training and workshops. https://stopandstair.com/
Ryan cared deeply about his friends, family and pets. He was a supportive brother, a faithful friend, son, grandson, nephew and cousin, who was loved more than he could have ever imagined He is survived by his parents; father, William John Smith III of Mebane, NC, and formerly Nutley, NJ; his mother, Dorothy Anne Ogren of Mebane, NC, and formerly Ridgewood, NJ; brothers Avery Christian and Merritt William John, sister-in-law Worthy Alexandra Pegram-Smith; paternal grandfather, William John Smith ll of Punta Gorda, FL and formerly Nutley, NJ; maternal grandparents, Charles Theodore & Carolyn (nee Meyer) Ogren of Pompton Plains and formerly Ridgewood, NJ. He will be greatly missed by his dearly loved aunts and uncles, Susan Smith; William & Lisa (nee Ogren) Gadsden; Theodore & Cynthia (nee Fricker) Ogren; and Mark Ogren; and cousins, Kim, Tad, Tyler, Carly, Emily, Sarah, and Henry.
Contributions:
SMART Recovery
7304 Mentor Avenue, Suite F, Mentor, OH 44060
https://www.smartrecovery.org/
Recover Revolution
1820 New Jersey Highway 35, Wall, New Jersey 07719
https://www.recoverrevolutionnj.org/
The Hill Center
3200 Pickett Road, Durham, NC 27705
Relevance Behavioral Health
61 W. Main Street, Freehold, NJ 07728