Hank Smyth Todd

Henry (Hank) Smyth Todd died peacefully at home in Lynnwood, WA on December 17, 2024, after a year-long battle with brain cancer. Hank was surrounded by his family and close friends during his final days.

Born May 28, 1941, in Pasadena, CA to Henry Smyth Todd, Sr. and Ethel Mae Todd (Gavel), Hank graduated from Arcadia High School in 1959 and attended Mount San Antonio College where he met his first wife Cornelia Jo Todd (Duclos). They married on December 1, 1962, and raised two sons, Gregory Keith Todd (born 1963) and Steven Wayne Todd (born 1968) in El Monte and Covina, CA before moving to Bainbridge Island, WA in 1977.

While in southern California, Hank worked at a service station in the early 1960s before starting a long career in computers in the mid-1960s at Livingston-Graham during a pioneering time for that industry. Later he worked at General Dynamics and then for Cal Poly Pomona in the 1970s. When he relocated to Bainbridge Island in 1977, Hank became a daily ferry commuter, working at the University of Washington (UW) in information technology until his retirement in 2007. While employed full-time, Hank enrolled in classes that reflected his varied interests including forestry, volcanoes, and history, earning a B.A. in Economics from UW at age 40.

Hank’s sons have early memories of their dad taking the family to Dodger baseball games, camping trips along the coast, and longer road trips to the Pacific Northwest. He always made time to help coach, work through a math problem, or simply play catch with his boys. He was a collegiate water polo player who also loved cycling and running. He spent days at the beach with grandchildren and extended hikes with his family. Throughout his life he enjoyed photography, painting, reading, sailing, gatherings involving food, house and garden projects, and traveling within the United States and to faraway lands.

After being widowed, Hank spent time building houses for Habitat for Humanity. He attended a grief group where he met Bonnie. Hank married (June 28, 2014) his wife Bonnie Todd (Sandahl) of Lynnwood, WA. Hank and Bonnie traveled to Spain, Portugal, England, Scotland, The Netherlands, The Baja Peninsula, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary and frequently to Canada’s islands and provinces. The Northeastern United States held friends and relatives from Massachusetts to Maine. Wimbledon and Indian Wells tennis tournaments were major destinations. In their leisure time they remodeled a house and its exterior including beautiful gardens and unusual landscape designs. Hank’s love for tennis took him to both regional and national playoffs, all after the age of 70. Traveling and dining with friends, exploring new interests, dancing to Bonnie’s son’s band and participating in Zoom and FaceTime events with faraway friends and family are fond memories. They led an active and loving life following their marriage to each other after each was widowed.

During the past 15 years Hank has been a competitive tennis player and member of the Mill Creek Tennis Club. His passion for tennis was evident in stories told to family and friends, especially in his final year of life. He is remembered for his humor, patience, and gentle demeanor.

Hank is survived by his wife Bonnie (Sandahl) Todd of Lynnwood, WA, sons Greg (Susan Veterane) Todd of Edmonds, WA, Steve (Denise Melton) Todd of Bainbridge Island, WA; step-children Cory Sandahl of Kirkland, WA and Cara Sandahl of Seattle, WA; grandchildren Leah (Riley) Neff Warner Todd, Molly (Coby) Cowan, Gabriel and Andrea Todd, and step-grandchildren Kai Hill , Hunter and Georgia Sandahl; great-grandchildren Asa and Mae Neff Warner, Franklin Cowan, his brother Murray Todd of La Quinta, CA and sister Margaret (Allen Slivkoff) Todd of Hesperia, CA. Hank is preceded in death by his father Henry (1958), his mother Ethel (1969), and his first wife Cornelia (Connie) (2009). He has many friends, on both sides of Puget Sound, who grieve the loss of Hank.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Edmonds United Methodist Church, 828 Caspers Street, Edmonds, WA 98020 on Friday, February 28 at 2pm.

Please consider donating to Habitat for Humanity in lieu of flowers.