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Myles Pensak posted a condolence
Friday, September 18, 2020
As a junior resident at Yale, Howard lectured to us about the management of facial trauma. On call one evening a patient arrived to the ER after an auto accident on I-95. After establishing an airway and stabilizing her with our ER trauma surgeons, I decided to take Howard up; on what had appeared to be a throw away line in his most recent lecture,..." call me anytime if you want hands on instruction" At 11PM I called....15 minutes later with the patient on the OR table Howard breezed in. Around 4 AM, with the fractures set, lacerations debrided and approximated where safe, and several open wounds packed, Howard said "thanks...that was great and I bet you learned something too". As he walked out of the OR, mask under his nose, he reminded me that he was always available.
I was privileged to have a wonderful experience with him thereafter during my time in New Haven. The evening my wife and 2 small children departed for Nashville for my Neurotology Fellowship, Howard had us stop over to his home. Four large boxes of "Blue Slides" were passed into the car, a wish for safe travels was said, and as we prepared to leave he walked to the passenger side window and said to my wife" I have no idea why he wants to do skull base surgery...let him enjoy his fellowship and when he comes to his sense let him come back here and join my practice. Indeed, the highest praise I could have gotten from a gracious, demanding, talented mentor and teacher who set the bar high...very high. Myles Pensak
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Ghassan Samara, MD, FACS posted a condolence
Friday, September 18, 2020
I was one of the many residents that Dr. Smith helped train at Columbia. He had a keen intellect honed by extensive experience. Every interaction with him was a joy. Even when Dr. Smith was in his 80s he had the drive and energy most of us can only hope to obtain. He was a founder and leader within our specialty and trained generations of otolaryngologists. I feel fortunate that I was one of the many otolaryngologists that he help to train.
Denise Giglio posted a condolence
Thursday, September 17, 2020
I had the distinct pleasure of working with Dr Smith at New Haven Ear, Nose & Throat for several years before he retired. I will tell you he was very intimidating to the young girl I was. But over time I learned a few tricks, fold the towel after he washed his hands, always have the right pens & a sharp pencil waiting in the exam rooms and be there to help with young children. But my fate was sealed when one day I asked him how he was that morning and his reply was, as always, "PERFECT!" He then asked how I was and with a grin I told him that I was "PERFECT" as well:)
I can say that I still work for his former practice, but what I didn't realize was that I have worked with "Greatness"!
Rest In Peace-I am sure you are still learning & teaching❤️
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Mussak Margaret & Otto lit a candle
Thursday, September 10, 2020
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Margaret J. Smith Mussak & Otto Mussak
Thank you Howard for all .
Rest in peace
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Lisa M White lit a candle
Saturday, August 29, 2020
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Deepest condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones of Dr Smith. From the family of Ethel Woolfolk
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Guido Petra posted a condolence
Saturday, August 29, 2020
Dr. Smith was an inspirational person to all who were lucky enough to have had the opportunity to know and work with him. I had the pleasure of performing construction work for Dr. Smith in the 1970's and 1980's. Our meetings were typically after his very long work day at either his medical office or his home in New Haven. We would meet and with classical music playing in the background he would sketch out on paper a design for a new office or an improvement to an existing medical office layout that allowed for greater efficiency for the medical provider to treat a patient or perform a procedure. His insightful understanding of the design process including the mechanical and electrical infrastructure to support such design surpassed the professional Architects and Engineers I worked with on other projects. Sometimes we would go into the basement of his home which housed a well-equipped machine shop where he created a prototype of an item, he wanted replicated in his examination rooms. I could never figure out where he found the time to work in that machine shop.
As Dr. Smith's Southern New England Ear Nose and Throat practice grew, he began to hire more staff and create smaller offices outside New Haven to provide medical care. Looking back at the underlying methodology and understanding on how best to provide medical care Dr. Smith was way ahead of his time. Our healthcare system has evolved to the hub (hospital) and spoke (ambulatory offices) throughout the country effectively mimicking what Dr. Smith had already perfected in the 1970's.
Dr. Smith had a great sense of humor typically delivered in the subtlest of ways. I will never forget how proud he was of his diesel-powered Volkswagen Rabbit that was the most economical car on the road being proudly driven by a person who could afford a fleet of any vehicles he so desired. Often times we would travel together to look at the next satellite office and our conversations were always meaningful about how to conduct business and live life. Despite the fact that I was 33 years his junior I never felt as though I was being lectured to and yet looking back, I can say with confidence that he was one of my life's greatest professors.
Dr. Smith was one of the Great Men of The Greatest Generation.
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Lou Higgins posted a condolence
Thursday, August 27, 2020
I shall miss my friend - a steady source of reliable information, a wonderful raconteur, an inspirational, energetic and productive member of every community in which he found himself. He did serious work but never took himself too seriously. I always felt blessed to be included in his circle of warmth and light.
One day at lunch ( HoJo's, of course), Jan had just told us that one of the soups of the day was potato with leeks. I asked Doc, sitting next to me, the difference between potato with leek soup and vichyssoises. Without hesitation, he replied:
"About ten bucks."
Vintage Doc. Wry, penetrating and correct. Lou Higgins
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The family of Howard W. Smith uploaded a photo
Tuesday, August 25, 2020
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