Smith died at his home in Horten of a heart attack in the early hours of May 1, 1943. His last words were, "Yes, thanks and praise" as he was retiring to bed earlier that night. Smith's funeral was by far the biggest seen in Horten, despite stringent travel restrictions that were in place due to the German occupation of Norway. In his eulogy, Smith's son, Aksel Johan Smith stated that he had never seen his father unrestful or impatient.