Richard Bernhard Smith

For the New York politician, see Richard B. Smith (New York politician). For the South Australian inventor, see Richard Bowyer Smith.
Richard Bernhard Smith
Born(1901-09-29)September 29, 1901
Honesdale, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedSeptember 29, 1935(1935-09-29) (aged 34)
Carbondale, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Era20th century

Richard Bernhard Smith (September 29, 1901 – September 29, 1935) was an American composer who wrote the lyrics to the popular Christmas song "Winter Wonderland", which was composed by Felix Bernard.

Smith was born on September 29, 1901, in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, the son of Eliza (Brunig) and John H. Smith, a partner with a glass manufacturing plant. His family was Episcopalian.[1] He graduated Honesdale School in 1920 and attended Pennsylvania State College. Smith married Jean Connor,[2] of Scranton, on March 30, 1930. He was diagnosed with tuberculosis in 1931. He succumbed to the disease on September 29, 1935, his thirty-fourth birthday, in Carbondale, Pennsylvania. He was buried in Dyberry Cemetery, Honesdale, Pennsylvania.

  1. ^ "Winter Wonderland, a local legacy". www.tricountyindependent.com. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  2. ^ Ansberry, Clare (December 20, 2016). "The Origins of a Christmas Carol: The Real 'Winter Wonderland'". Wall Street Journal – via www.wsj.com.