Douglas E. Smith, age 78, a lifelong resident of Gainesville GA, passed away peacefully on March 20, 2015.
He was born on March 7, 1937 in Gainesville, GA to parents Emerson E. "Fat" Smith and Mildred Howington Smith. After graduating from Gainesville High School in 1955, he attended Oxford College of Emory University and the University of Georgia, where he received a Juris Doctor degree. While at UGA, he was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and the Phi Alpha Delta Law fraternity. He began practicing law in Gainesville in 1960 with C. Ernest Smith, Jr. and they later formed a law partnership, Smith and Smith. He also volunteered after college as Scoutmaster of BSA Troop 189 in Gainesville, a troop that incubated many future Hall County leaders. He also was an officer in the Georgia National Guard, and was called to amass with other National Guard troops in Miami, FL, in 1962, in preparation for a possible invasion of Cuba. He practiced law for over 35 years in Gainesville, and was elected to two consecutive terms as Solicitor, State Court of Hall County. Later, he served as President of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association.
He is preceded in death by his wife of fifty years, Virginia Paris Smith of Rockmart, GA, who he met while delivering groceries for local Gainesville merchant, Frank Green, of Green's Grocery. He was also preceded in death by his brother, Richard C. Smith. He is survived by three children, Sally Smith Amtmann and husband Michael Amtmann of Piedmont, SD, Sandy Smith Burel and husband Paul Burel of Gainesville, GA, and Doug Smith Jr, and wife Kaela Cornett Smith, of Gainesville, GA. He is also survived by 5 grandchildren, Will Burel, Adrianne Smith, Emerson Smith, Sara Burel Crawford and Farran Smith, nieces Karen Smith Ford, Jennifer Smith, and Schorr Smith Taylor, as well as two great grandchildren, Bradly and Nicholas Burel.
He was a member of Grace Episcopal Church in Gainesville, GA and Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Highlands, NC. He served in many volunteer and lay ministry roles within both churches, led the outreach relief efforts of United Christian Ministries in Silva, NC, and was a frequent visitor to Holy Cross Monastery in NY.
Memorial Services for Douglas E Smith will be held at Grace Episcopal Church, 422 Brenau Avenue, on Monday, March 23, 2015 at 2 pm. The family will receive friends in the Parish Hall following the service.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Hall County Historical Society, PO Box 191, Gainesville, GA 30503. His passion for the rebuilding of the original Roberts' Family Log home, circa 1810, in the Cherokee Bluffs Park in Southern Hall County, remains unfinished, and his strong wish is to see that project completed. The original handhewn logs have been preserved and stored and are ready for rebuilding in the park. Funds can be earmarked for the Roberts' Family Log home project.
Those wishing to send online condolences to the family may do so at littledavenport.com
Little & Davenport Funeral Home and Crematory, 355 Dawsonville Hwy. Gainesville, GA 30501 Gainesville, Ga. 30501 is in charge of arrangements
