Biography

Smith P. Theimann Jr.

Smith Theimann, Jr. was born in Massachusetts in 1919. He was raised in New England and attended the University of North Carolina, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in 1942 and an MSW in 1944. In his early career, he worked for the Mecklenberg (NC) county welfare department and the Veterans Administration in Charlotte, before returning to Maine in 1958 to work for the VA there for the next 24 years.

He was an avid reader, a dedicated friend to animals and an enthusiastic follower of the arts, politics and contemporary social issues. Smith died in 2004 at the age of 84. As his obituary noted, “He will be remembered as kind, gentle, articulate and well-read. Above all, he will be remembered as genuine, proper, courteous, considerate, and a classic gentleman.” The dedication to Straight Talk about Professional Ethics reads, “To Smith P. Theimann, Jr., who lived the values of service, humility, respect, compassion, excellence and integrity”.

Smith’s bequests support many historic and educational endeavors, including the Smith P. Theimann Jr. distinguished professorship in ethics and professional practice.