Fred Smith, the founder of FedEx and a former part-owner of the Washington NFL team, was married twice, first to Linda Black Grisham and later to Diane Smith.
Linda Black Grisham was the first wife of Fred. She was his high-school sweetheart, and their relationship began during their younger years in Memphis, Tennessee.
The former couple, Fred and Linda, first met in high school in Memphis. Over time, their bonding grew into a romantic relationship.
After graduating from Yale University in 1966, Fred joined the U.S. Marine Corps and served in the Vietnam War. Even during this time, their relationship continued.
It was in August 1969, just before Fred completed his military service, that he and Linda walked down the aisle in Hawaii.
Their wedding took place during a significant moment, as Fred was preparing to begin his business career. During the time Fred remained married to Linda, he founded Federal Express (now FedEx) in 1971.
Fred and Linda welcomed two children: Windland Smith Rice and Richard W. Smith.
They first experienced parenthood with their daughter Windland Smith Rice, better known as Wendy, who was born in 1970.
After graduating from St. Mary’s Episcopal School in Tennessee, Windland studied drama at Duke University.
Though she initially pursued a career in acting and landed two minor movie roles as well as television shows, Windland eventually went on to become a professional photographer known for her work in nature and wildlife.
She secured work with major brands, including Fujifilm, the National Geographic Society, and Nature’s Best Photography.
Likewise, Wendy earned several awards and had her work exhibited in the Smithsonian Museum of National History.
Not to forget, Nature’s Best Photography even named an award after her, the Windland Smith Rice Awards.
However, Windland preceded her parents in death as she passed away on May 21, 2005, at the age of 35 in Memphis, Tennessee.
Reportedly, Wendy took her last breath while visiting her mother. She passed away from Long QT syndrome (LQTS) Type 2.
Their secondborn son, Richard W. Smith, grew up to be a high-level executive at FedEx, serving as president and CEO of FedEx Express.
Born in Memphis, Richard earned his undergraduate degree from George Washington University and subsequently received his Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi School of Law.
However, their seemingly sound marital life faced problems, and they divorced after eight years of marriage in 1977. Thus far, the primary reason behind their failed marriage remains unknown.
Fred Smith And Diane Remained Married For 19 Years!
Fred Smith found love again after his divorce from Linda. Some sources suggest they started dating in the late 1970s or early 1980s; however, the precise details surrounding their relationship timeline remain unknown.
Fred Smith tied the knot for the second time in 2006 after 25 years of his divorce from Linda. Nonetheless, sources claim they had been together for the longest time.
The couple remained married until Fred took his last breath on June 21, 2025. Throughout their marriage, they had eight children together.
While most of their children remain out of the media spotlight, some notable children include Arthur Smith, Molly Smith, and Cannon Smith.
Fred And Diane Smith’s Kids Have Pursued Careers In Different Fields!
Their daughter, Molly Smith, born on March 12, 1981, is a successful film producer with credits including hits such as La La Land, among others.
Molly started her own production company, Black Label Media, in 2013. Through this company, she has produced other well-known movies, including Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody (2022), Reptile (2023), and Rebel in the Rye (2017).
Their son, Arthur Smith, born on May 27, 1982, is a former head coach of the Atlanta Falcons and currently serves as the offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Born in Memphis, Tennessee, Arthur played football at Georgetown Prep and then at the University of North Carolina from 2001 to 2005. After graduating in 2006, he started coaching.
Over the years, he worked with several teams, including Ole Miss, the Washington Redskins, and the Tennessee Titans, where he coached from 2011 to 2020.
In 2021, Arthur became the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, leading the team until 2023. After parting ways with the Falcons in January 2024, he quickly joined the Pittsburgh Steelers as their offensive coordinator in February 2024.
Their daughter Rachel Smith followed in her sister Molly’s footsteps and entered the film industry. While less is known about her compared to Molly or Arthur, Rachel worked as a vice president at her sister Molly’s production company, Black Label Media.
Whereas their daughter, Samantha Smith Atkinson, born around 1986, is an “early riser” in the Smith family, meaning she’s hardworking and driven.
She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and began her career at high-profile companies, including Google and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
Since 2016, Samantha has worked in the Government Affairs department at FedEx.
Their youngest son, Frederick “Cannon” Smith, is a former football player, film actor, and producer.
Born in Memphis, Tennessee, Cannon was an all-star athlete in high school and earned a full football scholarship to the University of Miami.
He later transferred to the University of Memphis. After college, Cannon signed with the St. Louis Rams as a free agent, but a knee injury ended his professional football career. However, Cannon didn’t let this setback stop him.
Cannon worked as a construction contractor, learning how to manage big projects. In 2014, he started a distillery that produced Pyramid Premium Vodka.
He also explored acting, taking minor roles, and planning to get stunt certifications.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- An interesting fact about Fred Smith is that he wrote the concept for FedEx as part of an undergraduate term paper at Yale University in 1965.
- Since April 2016, Fred’s son, Cannon, has been married to Collins Tuohy, the daughter of Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy, whose family inspired the 2009 Oscar-winning movie The Blind Side.
