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Phil Smart Sr. sold luxury cars, but lived a humble lifestyle

March 3, 2013 @ 3:48 pm (Updated: 9:17 am - 3/4/13 )

Phil Smart Sr. sold luxury cars, starting one of the first Mercedes Benz dealerships in North America, but his early years were austere.

In 1931, he was 12 years old, trying to get through the Great Depression with his family.

"We lost our home. The bank took our home. Then the bank took our car. We began to rent, move from home to home. I slept in a cot, in a garage, next to an alley in Edmonds," Smart said in a video made several months before his death.

Smart was more than a Seattle car dealer. He was a philanthropist known for his volunteer work with Seattle Children's hospital, the Seattle Rotary Club and the Boy Scouts of America.

He died of natural causes, at the age of 93, last month. Over the weekend, the community celebrated his life at McCaw Hall.

In the video above, Smart talks about the major influences in his life.

"The Depression lasted a long time - 25 percent unemployment. Each of these challenges marked our lives, but everybody was surviving. Surviving. We're survivors. Hope came later," he said.

Smart met his wife in July of 1941 on a beach in Edmonds.

"We were married on November of 1941. Left the Roosevelt Hotel after a one night honeymoon, walked to 8th and Stewart to catch the bus with only five dollars," he said. "Two days later, I went into the Army and served under General Patton," he said.

In 2001, Smart wrote a book called "Angels Among Us" inspired by the children he met through his work at Seattle Children's Hospital.

"Children taught me about fear, faith, hope, love and courage," Smart said, "I listened patiently, and out of the mouths of babes my own faith was reinforced."

Before the Smart family sold its Mercedes Benz dealership in Seattle, Phil Smart Sr. taught his employees the "Rule of Eight" for managing their lives - eight hours were for work, eight hours were for rest, and eight were for helping others.

Smart is survived by his wife of 71 years, Helen, by his son Phil Smart Jr., and daughter Dianne Brady.

By LINDA THOMAS

More from Linda Thomas

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  • Chuck Gould wrote...
    Mr. Smart was undoubtedly a fine individual...
    March 4, 2013 8:33 am
    and may have been a generous philanthropist. It's likely that the community at large will suffer by his passing.

    Mr. Smart may indeed have been a humble person, but he certainly didn't earn his considerable fortune by promoting the social value of humility.

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  • Citizen of Krazy Town wrote...
    @Chuck: What's your point?
    March 4, 2013 4:40 pm
    From the seattle BSA website:

    Phil Smart's tradition of community service began when he became one of the first boys to join the newly created "Cubbing" program. Phil earned the rank of Eagle Scout in 1935 and he took a pledge to give back to the community more than it had given to him – a pledge he has taken seriously for more than 80 years. After graduating high school, Phil enrolled in college until World War II intervened. As a member of ROTC, he was sent to war where he took command of a truck company and served under General Patton. He left the service as a major with the Soldier's Medal for rescuing a crewman from a burning bomber. He later joined the Air Force Reserve and retired as a colonel.

    After the war, he built the area's first and most successful Mercedes Benz dealership with a hallmark of customer service. Yet, it is his philanthropic work that is most notable. Two years after returning from war, Phil became the neighborhood Scoutmaster for 14 years (his son, an Eagle himself, did not join the troop until the 8th year of his time as Scoutmaster.) Subsequently, he served in other Scouting roles, including district chairman and council president. Phil served on the Chief Seattle Council board for over thirty years with his continued refrain to be mindful of the Scout Oath and Law.

    Phil has given much of his time and effort to causes benefiting children. His volunteerism at Children's Hospital is most legendary. Phil's role as a volunteer with the hospital started in 1961 as the first male volunteer to work with children in the wards. For more than 40 years, he provided encouragement and support to sick and dying children and their families. He also served as Santa Claus visiting the children on dozens of Christmases. In 2001, Smart wrote two books, "Angels Among Us" and "The Real Angels Among Us", memoirs of his 40 years of work at Children's. Proceeds from the books pay for medical care given at Children's to children without health insurance.

    He has been a great encouragement for people to give their time to the community. His most famous speech is the "Third Eight", which explains how most people work for eight hours and rest for eight hours, leaving eight hours to contribute to their community. The "third eight" defines the quality of people's lives. Phil's use of his own "third eight" and encouragement for others to utilize theirs has defined his life.

    Phil was a patriarch of the Chief Seattle Council. Through more than 80 years of Scouting, he was honored with many awards. He was a Distinguished Eagle, a Silver Beaver, a Silver Antelope, and a Pillar of Puget Sound. But, the awards pinned on the outside are just a testament to greatness of the man inside. From his years as council president and member of the board, his speeches and support at council events, to his testimonials as one of the first civic leaders supporting the "Words to Live By" campaign, Phil had a hand in shaping our council to what it is today. We were lucky to have known him, and he will be greatly missed. A memorial service will be held March 2 at McCaw Hall, from 1pm.

    Chuck, your comment seems to somehow suggest that Phil's lifelong dedication to service to the Seattle community and our country is tainted or overshadowed by the fact that he was also a successful businessman. Would you feel differently if he sold Fords, or is it just the money you don't like? Would he prefer he live the life of Mother Theresa? How does your community service compare to his?

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  • wsualumn wrote...
    It's Unfortunate
    March 4, 2013 7:53 pm
    That this guy doesn't get the appreciation he deserves. I can go to blogs about politics, robberies, and various crimes and people will post up to 100 comments about what their beef or opinion is regarding the matter. Here we have an opportunity to say how lucky the Seattle Community was to have a successful businessman that truly cared about others and went out of his way to help. Very few words of thanks given here. Mr. Smart's family gets a "thank you" from me for making our community that much better because of his manner of reaching out to others.
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  • Kim T wrote...
    Thank you to the Smart Family
    March 6, 2013 9:56 am
    Thank you for sharing your wonderful father with all of us. Your willingness to allow us to share in the 8 hours that he had to give into the community has enriched us all. Thank you for running a business with integrity, excellence and style. The jobs you created and the wealth that was shared, enriched us all. Thank you for being a champion of Children's Hospital. Without you and others like you, the hospital would have struggled to find the funding to become the world class institution it is today. Finally, thank you for being the strength behind the man. He didn't become great in our community by himself. You sacrificed, supported and allowed him to be who he was and what we needed.
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