On the 20th of November 2007, Ian Douglas Smith, a decorated war veteran, Prime Minister of Rhodesia, and businessman, passed away peacefully in South Africa at the age of 88. Born inanon, Rhodesia, in 1919, Smith was the son of an English farmer, John Smith, and a Scottish immigrant mother, Agnes. He attended Chaplin School in Gatooma and later qualified as an accountant at Rhodes University College in Johannesburg. During World War II, Smith served honorably as a Royal Air Force pilot and achieved the rank of Flight Lieutenant. Returning to Rhodesia after the war, Smith worked as a accountant before entering politics as a member of the federal parliament in 1948. He served in various cabinet posts, including minister of finance, until his election as Prime Minister of the autonomous British colony of Rhodesia in 1964. Through his time as Prime Minister, Smith faced ongoing international pressure on the one-party government and widespread uprising against it. He stepped down in 1979 after Rhodesia gained independence and became Zimbabwe. After leaving politics, Smith and his wife, Janet, relocated to Harare, Zimbabwe, where he founded and ran a successful business. In 1995, upon the request of Margaret Thatcher, Smith and his family fled to Britain, as a result of the political climate in Zimbabwe. In 2000, Smith settled in South Africa. Smith has since been remembered fondly for his participation in the war effort of World War II, his equitable management of the country’s finances, and his dedication to his beloved Rhodesia. His loved ones remember him as a warm and generous friend, a successful businessman, and a beloved leader. He is survived by his wife, Janet, three children, and a host of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.