Roy McBee Smith, Sr., died January 24, 2006. He was the husband of Grace Jackson Smith. They were married in 1951 in Greenville, where they both grew up. They moved to Spartanburg in 1955 after he finished law school. His legal career of 49 years included participation in creation of Greenville-Spartanburg Jetport, Spartanburg Technical College, USC Upstate, SRMC Health Service District, Spartanburg Arts Council forerunner of The Arts Partnership, Spartanburg County Home Rule. He was Spartanburg County Attorney for 41 years, one of the longest in that position of any county attorney in SC history. He served in the SC House of Representatives, and was twice elected President of the SC County Attorneys Association. He was a curator of the SC Historical Society, author of articles for that Society and other historical journals and of a biography of Vardry McBee said to be the founder of Greenville. His father was Edward L. Smith of Tampa, Florida, who died in 1932 and his mother was Edith McBee Smith of Greenville, who died in 1980. His brother is Edward L. Smith, Jr. of Greenville. He graduated from The Citadel in 1950 and USC Law School in 1955, where he was elected President of the Law School student body. He served in the Army during the Korean War as a 1st Lt. He was President of The Rotary Club of Spartanburg, Senior and Junior Warden, Vestryman and Superintendent of Sunday School of The Episcopal Church of the Advent and was also a communicant of St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church. He was a member of Crustbreakers, St. Andrews Society, La Chaine, and Samuel Prince Marching, Debating & Chowder Society. He was awarded the Order of the Palmetto by the Governor of South Carolina. In addition to his wife Grace J. Smith, he is survived by six children, Edith S. (W. E.) Hardaway of Greenville, Grace S. Gomez of Spartanburg, Ella S. (Ben M.) Cart of St. Simons, GA, his law partner, William McBee Smith, Mary Jane S. (Roger) Poole, and Roy McBee Smith, Jr., of Spartanburg and 13 grandchildren, Ben, Luke and Sara Hardaway, Cristina and Alexander M. Gomez, Margaret M. and Grace M. Cart, Taylor M., Jacob M., and Walker M. Smith, James Roger and John Sterling Poole, and Hunter M. Smith sons-in-law, William E. Hardaway, Ben M. Cart, and J. Roger Poole and daughters-in-law, Karen Shoemaker Smith and Barbara (Bea) Walters Smith. Memorial services will be held at 2 oclock on Thursday, January 26, 2006 at Episcopal Church of the Advent. The family is at the home 311 Glendalyn Place. Memorials may be made to Spartanburg County Foundation, 320 E. Main Street, Spartanburg, SC 29302. Lanford-Dunbar Funeral Home & Crematory
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