When Gene Smith arrived at Caltech, he was the poster boy for American youth: big, handsome, good-natured, intelligent, a Presidential Scholar. He probably belonged at Princeton or Yale, but he was a Westerner and Caltech offered encouragement for his interest in astronomy. He arrived at the campus a few weeks early, in response to an invitation from the Athletic Department to join the Caltech football team. During two-a-day practice sessions in the Pasadena heat, he formed his first Caltech friendships. We wore our names taped on our helmets to help the coaches learn who we were. Gene’s size and features reminded our aged head coach of a long-forgotten player named “Johnson”, and he somehow couldn’t put the name “Smith” with that image. After a few days of confusion, Gene simply replaced the tape on his helmet. “Johnson!” coach would yell, “get in there!” “Right, coach!” was Gene’s reply. His logic was pure Gene – if Johnson was going to get to play, Gene was going to be the best Johnson available. The rest of us knew who he was, but the Harding Eugene part was too much for adolescents to deal with, and he quickly became “Smitty” to one and all. As good an athlete as he was – and none of us were especially good – Gene’s talents and interests were remarkably broad. He liked to sing and promptly earned a place in the Caltech glee club. He treated people with respect and was elected as a House Officer. He also enjoyed sharing his appreciation for popular culture. While I never want to hear the Byrds sing “Turn, Turn, Turn” ever again, I will never forget Gene marching down Colorado Blvd with a motley crew of Caltech undergrads in tow to view the premiere of Disney’s “Jungle Book” at the old Lake Theater. Of course, he led the group in singing “Bear Necessities” all the way home. Gene’s outlook on life is best described as “wholesome”. While campaigning for House office, he seriously announced his support for “Truth, Justice, and the American Way!” For the youth among you, this phrase comes from an old TV Series starring Clark Kent and Superman! Smitty was elected with thunderous acclamation because we all knew he meant it. Gene was also something of a romantic. None of us had very many musical recordings in those days; we were too poor. But in addition to the Byrds, a recording which should be banned by the Geneva convention as inhuman and beyond endurance – have I mentioned “Mr Tambourine Man” - one of his favorite albums was the score from the musical “Camelot”. Perhaps he played it once too often before a midterm or late at night, but King Arthur became a most endearing and enduring obsession for him. 20 years later my wife Elaine and I were living in England. Gene came over to visit us, and led our daughters on an adventure they delight in remembering to this day – a quest for King Arthur. Over a few days we traveled southern England together visiting Cadbury Fort, Glastonbury Abbey, and Tintagel Castle. At Glastonbury, the girls merrily rode their wooden hobby horses across the Abbey grounds, then stood with sober dignity over the legendary graves. The sense of magic and wonder he shared with them is a treasured gift, and a worthy measure of the man who was Gene Smith.