George Aaron Smith

GEORGE A. SMITH, 83, PASSED FROM HIS EARTHLY HOME TO HIS HEAVENLY HOME ON MAY 28, 2013. HE WAS BORN TO THE PASTOR OF SANDERSVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH, REV. G.A. AND NINA SMITH. HIS FAMILY MOVED TO LAUREL IN 1935. AFTER GRADUATING FROM GARDINER HIGH SCHOOL, HE ENLISTED IN THE U.S. MARINE CORPS AND SERVED IN KOREA WITH THE FIRST MARINE DIVISION DURING THE WAR. WHEN HE RETURNED FROM KOREA, HE MARRIED JOYCE SULLIVAN, AND THEY MOVED TO BARSTOW, CALIFORNIA. AFTER BEING DISCHARGED FROM THE MARINES HE ATTENDED JONES COUNTY JUNIOR COLLEGE AND THEN GRADUATED FROM LSU. HE WORKED FOR THE BURROUGHS CORPORATION THROUGH THE INCEPTION OF COMPUTERS AND RETIRED IN 1986. HE THEN WORKED PART-TIME FOR PEREGRINE CORPORATION. HE WAS MANAGER AND OPERATOR FOR THE ERATA WATER ASSOCIATION FOR MANY YEARS. HE WAS OWNER OF GEORGE SMITH STATIONERS IN LAUREL, WHICH IS NOW CHANCELLORS BUSINESS SUPPLY. GEORGE WAS A MEMBER OF SANDERSVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH WHERE HE SERVED AS DEACON AND SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER. HE ALSO SERVED AS MINISTER OF MUSIC FOR 14 YEARS. HE WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HIS PARENTS REV. G.A. AND NINA SMITH, SISTERS: EDNA CALDWELL, GERTRUDE GEDDIE, FRANCES SMITH, LESSIE MCCARTY, BILLIE KLINE, AND BY DAUGHTER-IN-LAW, RUTH SMITH. HE IS SURVIVED BY: HIS WIFE OF 62 YEARS, JOYCE SULLIVAN SMITH, ONE DAUGHTER: BECKY WEBB (REX) PHILIDELPHIA, MS, THREE SONS: CHRIS SMITH (MARCI) METAIRIE, LA, MARTY SMITH (CAROL) CHATHAM, VA, AND ALAN SMITH (GLORIA) LAUREL, MS. HE IS ALSO SURVIVED BY GRANDCHILDREN: SARAH SMITH COOK (ALEX), JEFFREY SMITH (MEGAN). RACHEL WEBB HARBARGER (CLAUDE), MIRIAM WEBB MEDLIN (MICHAEL), THOMAS WEBB, DONNY SMITH (EMILY) JENNIFER SMITH, ANDY SMITH, JASON BEZOU (SARA) AND REBECCA BEZOU. ALSO 5 GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN: LOIS HARBARGER, BENSON PARSONS-SMITH, SHANE SMITH, ISABELLA BEZOU, AND ELIZABETH BEZOU. HE IS ALSO SURVIVED BY ONE BROTHER, LEWIS SMITH OF PASCAGOULA AND FOUR SISTERS: ELIZABETH MATTHEWS OF BRANDON/VICKSBURG, ANNETTE YARBROUGH OF MERIDIAN, AILEENE WALIN THOMPSON OF LAUREL, AND MARTHA JO HAYES (JIM) OF HATTIESBURG. GEORGE'S MOTTO WAS HONOR GOD, LOVE OTHERS, AND GIVE YOUR JOB YOUR BEST EFFORT. MEMORY CHAPEL IN LAUREL IS IN CHARGE OF SERVICES. VISITATION WILL BE THURSDAY, MAY 30, 2013 FROM 5 UNTIL 8 PM AT MEMORY CHAPEL. FUNERAL SERVICES WILL BE FRIDAY, MAY 31, 2013 AT 2:30 PM AT SANDERSVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH, WITH INTERNMENT IN ERATA CEMETERY. IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, DONATIONS MAY BE MADE TO THE ERATA CEMETERY ASSOCIATION OR TO THE GIDEONS.

George Aaron Smith

November 20, 1929 - May 28, 2013