David Smith and Paul Dill, mentors, leaders, beekeepers
Saying Goodbye to Paul Dill
Former MSBA and Delaware Beekeepers Association President Paul Dill, recipient of beekeeping recognition including Robert Mitchell Service Award and many awards for his honey and mead production, passed away peacefully in his home July 4, 2026 at the age of 75.
S&S Apiaries writes: "Paul was a pillar of knowledge, patience, and warmth within our local beekeeping community. For decades, his quiet dedication to the bees kept our region blooming, and his endless willingness to mentor others guided countless keepers across the state. Our deepest condolences go out to his family, friends, and the entire beekeeping community whose lives he touched."
Paul started as a beekeper for the fun of it. A retired cross-country truck driver, he used to pass one particular beekeeper and hives on one of his routes, and one day he stopped to talk to him. From there his interest grew, and since the 1990s Paul maintained between 50 and 70 hives a year in areas of Maryland and Delaware.
Known to many as The Beeman, Paul loved to tend to his bees and teach many generations of beekeepers with his vast knowledge he obtained with over 30 years of working the bees. Paul also served in the United States Air Force.
Fair Winds and Following Seas to David Smith
David G. Smith, retired Nuclear Navy Submarine Commander, EAS Master Beekeeper, MSBA President, and lifetime mentor passed on May 26, 2026, aged 93.
David was also the winner of many blue ribbons and Best of Show awards from national beekeeping associations and shows for honey, wax purity and inventions. Sharing his time, expertise, patience and kindness, he mentored new beekeepers and fostered outreach to encourage the next generation.
Well before he started at the Navy Academy, David Smith had already made beekeeping a part of his life growing up in rural Indiana. With the help of a 7th-grade math teacher, he not only loved watching bee colonies grow but creating better solutions to ensure their survival. It was also the first time he experienced a bee sting and realized the pain suffered was negligible given the pleasure of watching honey being made.
You can watch David himself looking back on his beekeeping life in his own words at "Musings of a Master Beekeeper."