On June 9, 2014 a legend passed away. It is fitting that Mark Smith was eulogized on the Jeep.com website, as the man had contributed so much to Jeep culture over the years.
From the Jeep blog:
There are certain types of people who only come around once in a lifetime. They are the kind of people who regularly inspire everyone around them and bring out the best in others. Mark A. Smith, founder of Jeep® Jamboree USA, was one of those once-in-a-lifetime people. Today, we’d like to take a moment to remember Mark, who passed away at the age of 87 on June 9, 2014.
We recently spoke with Pearse Umlauf, Vice President of Jeep Jamboree USA, about his experience working with Mark and some of his favorite memories.
When did you first meet Mark?
I met Mark in 1996 at the second annual Camp Jeep event in Camp Hale, CO. Mark had been asked by Chrysler to build the off-road test track and staff them with experienced guides. Camp Jeep participants had the opportunity to test drive a variety of Jeep brand vehicles over the off-road course. It was a huge success. I remember being told back then that Mark was an off-road icon. He was sitting on the back of a pick-up truck wearing his trademark white cowboy hat next to his one-eyed dog named “Jeep.” Continue reading