Founder Of Dana Point Historical Society Clings To Life After House Fire Killed Her Husband
DANA POINT (CBS) — The founder of the Dana Point Historical Society was clinging to life Monday following a weekend blaze at her home that killed her husband, according to one of the couple's friends.
Doris Walker-Smith suffered life-threatening injuries in the early Sunday blaze at her home, according to Carlos N. Olvera, the historical society's president. She's listed in critical condition at the UC Irvine Medical Center burn ward, he said.
Her husband, Jack Smith, a retired Marine, died in the blaze. The two were both widowed when they met, Olvera said, and tied the knot 10 to 15 years ago.
The blaze was reported at 1:29 a.m. Sunday at 33331 Bremerton St., Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Marc Stone said.
Firefighters had trouble reaching the Smiths and extinguishing the blaze -- which was finally doused about 4 a.m. -- because the couple had many books and other flammable items in the house, Stone said.
"It was all very neatly organized," he said. "Everything was nicely stored, but, unfortunately it hindered our rescue efforts, and it made it very difficult to pull hoses in and around through the large amounts of personal items. Once we found them, it made it difficult to extricate them."
Walker-Smith moved to Orange County in 1963 and has penned about a dozen history books on the area, Olvera said.
She is best known for her book, "Dana Point Harbor / Capistrano Bay: Home Port for Romance," a reference to a well-known quote from the city's founder, Richard Henry Dana, about the area providing the most romantic view along the coast.
Walker-Smith was the public information officer for the Dana Point Harbor when it opened in 1971, Olvera said, and started the first Whale Festival parade, a longtime tradition each March.
She got the historical society started in 1987 when a developer proposed the razing of a hotel, which dated back to 1830, to make way for condominiums, Olvera said.
Instead of battling the development, Walker-Smith instead sought to preserve some of its remnants, including a wall that featured an image of a seaman from 1835 hanging a large cowhide over a cliff, Olvera said.
"Doris saw that as an opportunity to capture that history," Olvera said. "She's very pragmatic, and she liked to report what was going on."
(©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)
