Tragedy on NOAA research site Key Largo

[rmediver2002]

Stumbled onto this thread and just wanted to say how much Dewey's friendship meant to me.

Dewey was a unique individual, difficult to estimate his age or experience. He looked every bit the young college student. It was a bit of a shock to me to find out he was much closer to my age than that of most students. (this compounded by the fact that he was a Navy veteran and I Army was the subject of quite a bit of kidding)

Things that pop into my mind:

His stubble / shaving profile...
Apple computers (I didn't get to tell you but I converted...)
That goofy look in the Gorski for the first time (glad we got a picture!)
Texas
Singing "Grillz" on the way to the bridge
Flan
Hank Azaria
George Bush (ranch was right up the road from the bridge but he did not stop by)


You leaving for the Keys
Not finding the time to hook up while I was working in Miami...

I first met Dewey while working on a pipeline armoring project in St Andrews bay, later getting to know him as a friend. We got to work together fairly often while he was finishing school at FSU. At the time I had just started a commercial diving firm and Dewey was one of the plank owners helping us to grow the business.

We got a job in Texas doing some epoxy jacketing right before he was leaving for Aquarius (our first bigger project, me Jim and Dewey).

I miss your lighthearted nature Dewey, everything rolled off your back. I am going to miss you brother...

Jeff

 

[Gloria Alexander]

I did not know Dewey but know his Dad (he is my cousin). My prayers are with the family.
If he was anything like his dad I know he was a very compasionate person who loved and
cared for everyone he met. Dewey III we will be praying for you and all the others that God will
take you in his arms and hold you tight. This is what got me through when my daughter was
taken in a car accident. All our love goes out to you all.
Gloria

 

[Ninja Diver]

I did not know Dewey, but the diving "community" is pretty "tight" I just wanted to pass my condolences to the family. Based on the comments on this thread, from a fathers point of view, it certainly sounds like Dewy was a fine young man and will be missed by EVERYONE he touched. A young man that any parent can and should be proud of. It's also clear that his family understands he is now serving a higher purpose that's ALWAYS difficult to except but fact none the less.

I'm truly sorry for your loss.

Steve

 

[keyrhymepie]

Dewey was a good friend of mine when I was going to Florida State. We both worked retail together and our friendship grew from there. We played a lot of James Bond 007 and it was no surprise to hear of the Beastie Boy Esque rhymes as told by one of his other friends on here.. Dewey was not only a skilled diver, he was a very skilled musician as well. He played the drums in a Tallahassee band (At that time called "Corbin") and was one of the first members of this new play on the Greek system called "The Amazing Asians" at our school. Dewey introduced me to a music producer in Tallahassee and we would spend some late nights in the studio together, one time even getting in the booth and dropping a beatbox on a Goverment Mule Mashup that we did called "Soul Shine." One year Dewey's birthday fell on a Wednesday and surprisingly enough, it's the one day of the week where not much is going on in the Tallahassee scene.. So what did we do? We got our crew together, threw on our Amazing Asian T shirts and crashed the country music karaoke scene. We said we wanted to do an acapella and to the duress of the crowd, Dewey turned his ball cap to the side and dropped the sickest beat box that any country music fan had ever heard. I proceeded to do some quirky rap about his birthday and our crew and we dropped the mics and ran out of that place going mach 2 (right before some cowboy hat wearing cat threw a chair at us probably) and just ran out to the car and almost died laughing. He always brought a smile, would say "Whaddup Player" to greet you or use the term "Tight Bangin" when he agreed with you. He emitted this overall vibe to everyone to not take everything so damn seriously and that everything was going to be alright. He had such a love for music and a passion to be a good person. All he had to do was walk by and he would emit happiness to those around him. It's so sad to lose such a great spirit. Dewey would always make you feel like you were the only person in the room, he would lend me an ear as well as great brotherly advice over a beer or playing some pool. Dewey Smith, man it's tough to know that you're not here anymore. The time we spent together was amazing and I feel very blessed to have had the opportunity to have such a positive person in my life. Thank You, I have nothing but love and admiration for you. -Bradley Keys

 

[Davecjohnson]

I am so sorry that It took me till now to learn of the passing of my friend, Dewey and I had lost touch years back and I kept wanting to re-connect but It seamed like I was always too busy... now I am filled with guilt and sadness that I did not pick up the phone or send him a message. To Deweys Family... I am so sorry for your loss, I shall pray for you..

Now to the memories... I met Dewey at Balboa navy medical center, I was assigned to the PSD office after washing out at BUDS, Dewey's office was right down the hall 20 feet where he worked in the career councelers office. He was an HM3 and had about a year and a half left. I was assigned in the service record vault and Dew had to come down and pull records from me. It wasnt long after that we became friends, best friends, We went everywhere together, I didnt have a car so we road around in his Saab 900, we hit up the Juice hut on SDSU campus twice a week and got thrown out of many parties(Actually we could never get in) My wife and I were having some problems and being that Dewey had gone through then end of a marraige he helped my wife Nicole and I to patch things up. When His roomates in coronado would be too noisey he would stay at our place in Cabrillo heights and my son Josh loved playing with Dewey, but my son had a minor speach problem so he would call him daddy... it was so funny. Dewey and I even made up songs together as we drove around and one of them I still remember and can laugh about how awful we were at song writing.. things like "pants with out pockets and shirts with out sleeves"

After that year and a half It was time for him to get out, I helped him pack his stuff and leave California for Home.. It was a sad goodbye... but not our last. I went into the dive program and saw him again in Panama City where we did all the things we used to do.. Crusing and listeing to Music... For some reason the Pet shop boys is what we were Jamming to.. a song called Before. After that I was assigned to MDS2 in Littlecreek Va and we departed again.

The Last time I saw my great Friend was when he drove up to VA to stay with me for a weekend where we discussed Diving and making it a career, We went and saw Big head Todd and the Monsters at the boat house in Norfolk, went shopping the next day at the Lynnhaven mall, and my wife and I said bye to him for what now seams to have been the last time... I will miss my friend, rest in peace.

Dave Johnson

 

[malley10]

I am Dewey's cousin except I knew him as Dwayne and had not seen him since we were little kids. We did not live in the same place and I only saw him when he came to visit our grandparents. Dwayne and I use to pick on each other and worked so hard to get the better of each other. We were equally matched and I remember we had to be separated at times. My last memory of him is the two of us with his sister in the back of grandpa's station wagon insulting each other on the way to the truck stop for lunch. I was always happy to hear when he and his sister were coming to visit.

Although I did not have any contact with him since the late 70's, I was upset when I heard about his passing. I want to extend my condolences to Aunt Donna, Lisa, and Sean.

 

[zinnia127]

I'm sorry I just stumbled across this today. I am not a diver nor military friend, but I am someone whose life Dewey touched deeply as I know he touched many others.

I met Dewey in 1997 through his brother, Sean. I have never met anyone else in my life who was able to spread a smile across my face in an instant like he could. He was one of the most positive, cheerful people in any given situation. He could make you laugh in a drop of a hat and there was much laughter during our time in each others lives.

I would call him Dewey Dewayne. We would jam out to anything from Depeche Mode to jazz in his good ol' Saab in which the passenger seat would only lean all the way back There are so many memories that I could share...another time.

Dewey had a love for life....no matter what life dealt him. He has influenced me to see life as an opportunity for excitement. Even in his darkest moments he made the best of the situation.

I am an educator now. On the bulletin board near my desk every day I look at one of Dewey's favorite sayings, "Carpe Diem." Dewey DID seize the day....every day he could.

Over the years Dewey and I saw less and less of each other, but when we did cross paths again, it was refreshing to see his face. It was as if no time had passed at all. I know how much he is missed, but I also know that he is making someone smile this very moment. He always did and always will have a special place in my world.