William Dewitt Smith

William Dewitt Smith
Services for William Dewitt Smith, 89, a life-long resident of Coolidge, are at 10:00 AM, Friday, November 6, 2009, at Allen and Allen Funeral Chapel. Rev. James Davis and Rev. Ken Burgess will officiate and interment is in Sunset Memorial Gardens. Pallbearers are grandsons and cousins. Mr. Smith died Nov. 3, 2009 at Woodlands Living Center in Moultrie. Born, Nov. 20, 1919 in Thomas County, he was the son of the late Howard and Bell O'Neal Smith. In 1956, he married Jean Singletary Smith, who survives. He was a graduate of Coolidge High School and he attended West Georgia College, until he joined the Air Force. He was told he did not have to join because he was blind in his right eye, but he insisted if his brothers were going, he was going. He was a veteran of WWII. He was a retired dairy farmer and was owner and partner of South Georgia Army Navy Surplus in Tifton. He was a former Thomas County school Board Chairman and served from 1979 to 1983 and was also a former Dairy man of the year. He was a member and a Trustee of Coolidge Methodist Church. Other survivors include children, Cates Byrd and husband, Hugh of Kennesaw, Shelton Smith and wife, Jeanie of Hahira, Howard Smith of Coolidge and Cathy Palmer of Thomasville and Dickie Smith of Tifton; grandchildren, Meredith Fudge, Dustin Fudge and wife, Jenny, Brayton Smith, Shelley Smith, Lee Jones and wife, Jessica and Brett Jones and wife, Billye. He was preceded in death by brothers, Howard R. Smith, Jr., Earl B. Smith, Charles Allen Smith and Dicky O'Neal Smith; sister, Helen Smith Devane. Memorial contributions may be sent to VFW Post 4995, 101 S. Broad St., Thomasville, GA 31799 or to American Legion Post 31, P O Box 203, Thomasville, GA 31799. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 on Thursday at Allen & Allen Funeral Home. Visitors may sign the online guest register at www.allenfh.com .
ALLEN & ALLEN FUNERAL HOME