Allyn Dale Smith, former UC ANR southern region director, died on Feb. 10, 2026, in Audubon, Pennsylvania. He was 91.

He proudly served in the United States Marine Corps and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural economics and marketing from Cornell University.

Much of Smith’s professional life was devoted to Cooperative Extension. In Plattsburgh and Riverhead, New York, he served as a 4-H program director. In 1968, he became a regional director for Cooperative Extension in Ithaca, New York. In 1985, he and his wife Joy Virginia Gillis moved to California, where Smith would serve as regional director for UC ANR’s southern region until he retired in 1999.

“He was an administrator and at the time perhaps we did not appreciate him as much as we should have,” said Jim Downer, emeritus UCCE environmental horticulture and plant pathology advisor, who served in Ventura County.  “I remember him as positive and supportive of our work in the county trenches. He was always friendly and easy to work with.”

In 1991, several UCCE offices faced local budget cuts. Smith advocated for county governments to support their local UCCE advisors and staff.

When Orange County proposed drastically reducing its funding for UCCE, Smith told the county supervisors the university and federal government could not make up the shortfall. If the cut were to be approved, the UC system probably will have to stop participating with the county on cooperative agricultural programs, Smith said, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.

One of the main purposes of those offices is to make university research on agriculture and nutrition useful to California residents, Smith explained.

Smith also worked hard to advocate for UCCE in Santa Barbara County, where the office was to take a 15% cut.

“I agree with Jim that Allyn was supportive of our work in the county when he served as regional director," said Julie Newman, emeritus UCCE advisor for floriculture and nursery production, who worked in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. 

“From a personal perspective, Allyn helped me with a challenging situation, and his leadership and decision-making in addressing that issue resulted in positive impacts that affected both my career and personal life,” said Newman.

Smith is survived by his wife Mary Ann Prior; his children Deborah Karen Dziem (Gregory), Lynda Marie Martel (Paul), Mark David Smith, and Cheryl Joy Shirley (Mark); grandchildren Nicholas Ross Dziem (Holly), Megan Elizabeth Dziem Solis (Morgan), Trevor James Martel (Sissy), Michelle Winnie Martel Harmon (Chad), Jessica Joy Shirley and Andrew James Shirley (Anna); and great-grandchildren Jimi Dziem Solis, Avery Jane Dziem, Adrian Martin Solis, Evelyn Joy Dziem, Vincent Manuel Solis, Penelope Beth Solis, Ellie Winnie Harmon and Wolfram Nyx Martel.