In the early 1990s, with the future of Jim Thorpe’s elementary basketball program at stake, Randall Smith stepped to the plate like he did so many times for the community’s youth.

Admittedly not knowing the nuts and the bolts of the sport, he couldn’t let such an outlet for kids drop by the wayside.The experience sparked Smith to organize and run a summer youth program in the town that celebrated its 20th anniversary last year.While it’s far from the only example of Smith’s passion for helping children, it helps measure the loss felt Friday with his passing at age 66.“We lost an irreplaceable individual,” said Joe Busocker, one of Smith’s best friends for over 20 years. “He meant everything to me. From his social work to his time on the school board and volunteering with the youth, he cared about other people so much.” Losing a friendWhen Smith wanted to keep the elementary basketball afloat, Busocker was by his side and thus a lifelong friendship blossomed.From there, the two became hunting and fishing buddies.“He loved being out in the woods,” Busocker said. “Hunting was a 12-month process for us. We would go out to set up the trail cameras and check the cameras. If I was going to Cabela’s, I’d give him a call. But we never went on a hunting or fishing trip without Randy checking with his family. Family was first to him. He visited his mom every day of the week. He made me a better son and a better husband.”In February, Smith and Busocker went up to Glen Onoko to walk the areas where a large number of hikers were injured.“He got this commission to try and understand why so many accidents were happening up there and come up with ideas to help,” Busocker said. “He always cared about everyone else.”A friendship can often be measured by who you call in a time of need.For Busocker, Smith was always on the other end of the line.“Whenever I needed help doing something, it would be, ‘Hey, Smitty, can you come give me a hand,’ and he was right there,” Busocker said. “When my sons grew up and moved out, Randy is the only guy I would call.”Post retirement, Smith picked up a new hobby: making maple syrup.What Busocker never told him was that the first batch was nearly inedible.“From there, it kept getting better and better, and by the end of the first year, it was edible,” Busocker said. “Randy had a lot of passions. He also loved making sauerkraut with his uncle.”Champion for youthIt wasn’t so much the activities children were doing at the Jim Thorpe Rotary Club’s summer park program that were important to Smith. It was what they weren’t doing.“He really cared about making sure the kids had something to do in the summer,” Jim Thorpe Mayor Michael Sofranko said. “Keeping them busy was a top priority and he did such a wonderful job for so long. I don’t think people realized the time and effort he put into that. Randy cared a lot about the town and will be greatly missed.”The summer day camp generally ran Monday through Friday for students in grades 2-6.All activities, including arts, crafts, sports and games, were offered at no cost to campers.Smith didn’t stop planning the program when kids went back to school.“He was always coming up with new ideas,” Busocker said. “Times are different now. A lot of times kids would just as soon sit home on their cellphones. Randy put a lot of thought into things.”Smith served two stints on the Jim Thorpe Area School District board of directors, around eight of which he spent alongside Dr. Clem McGinley.The two also served together in the Jim Thorpe Rotary Club and on the Dimmick Memorial Library Advisory board.“Sometimes we would see each other four nights a week and joked that we were together more than we were with our wives,” McGinley said. “I knew him for 53 years since we were in high school and he had his hands in so much, but all he ever wanted was to help people. Randy also ran the Rotary essay contest and the youth leadership award program. It was never about the accolades, just helping people.”Smith was a dedicated member of Christ United Church of Christ in Jim Thorpe, where he served on the consistory and hosted an annual venison dinner for the local community.“He seldom missed a week of church,” Busocker said.Man of many hatsSmith graduated in 1968 from Jim Thorpe Area High School and earned a Bachelor of Arts from Penn State University. After obtaining a master’s degree in social work from Marywood College in 1975, he worked in health care for two decades.He worked for Gnaden Huetten Memorial Hospital from 1975 to 1998. Most of his career was spent as the director of the Behavioral Health Unit.“He was dedicated to helping the mentally ill in Carbon County,” said Andrew Harris, president and CEO of Blue Mountain Health System. “For Randy, it wasn’t a job but a passion, as he truly cared for every one of his patients. In 1997, he became a licensed nursing home administrator and was responsible for the care provided at The Summit Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Randy would organize softball games and other social events with the goal of creating a family atmosphere at the hospital.”Subsequent to his career in health care, Smith served as Carbon County administrator/chief clerk until his retirement in 2011.“I can tell you that the service that Randy Smith has provided for this county has been, in my opinion, exemplary,” Commissioner William O’Gurek said when Smith announced his retirement.Others looked up to Smith for the way he carried himself.“With his work for the county, I always admired him because he fought for what he believed in,” Sofranko said. “You may not have always agreed with him, but he was passionate.”After leaving, the hospital, Harris said, Smith remained a friend of the health system and supported the growth of the programs and services that made Blue Mountain Health System.“As the county administrator, he worked closely with the hospital leadership on several important issues,” Harris said. “Following his retirement from that position, he continued to work closely with the hospital as a member of the Hospital Authority board. He was a true friend of the health system and he will be sadly missed.”