Joe Smith: key obituary facts
Is Joe Smith dead? Yes. Joe Smith died on June 30, 2026, at age 91.
Cause of death: Joe Smith's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Joe Smith known for?
Joe Smith was an American politician.
More about Joe Smith
Born: May 17, 1935.
Joe Smith, an American politician who served as chairman of the Democratic Party of Oregon and later in the Oregon House of Representatives, died on June 30, 2026.
Born Raoul Pingree Smith on May 17, 1935, in Salt Lake City, Utah, he was a Democrat who led the state party from 1980 to 1982. He later returned to elected office in 2004, when he served in the Oregon House after succeeding Deborah Kafoury.
Before entering legislative office, Smith worked as a district attorney in Umatilla County and ran for Oregon attorney general in 1972. He studied at the University of Utah and earned a law degree from George Washington University Law School.