Dr. Oliver Wendell (Buddy) Smith, 79 of Columbus, Mississippi passed away on Thursday, June 9, 2011 at his residence. Visitation for Dr. Smith will be held Saturday June 11, 2011 from 6:00PM -8:00PM at Memorial Funeral Home, Columbus, MS and Sunday, June 12, 2011 from 1:00 PM-2:00PM at First Baptist Church. The funeral service will follow at 2:00PM in the sanctuary of First Baptist with Dr. Shawn Parker officiating. Born in Cullman County, Alabama to the late Adolphus and Flora Moon Smith on August 30, 1931, Dr. Smith was the oldest son of four children. He served in the US Air Force during the Korean War and returned to the states to work at Lockheed Aircraft Corporation in Marietta, GA. He received his undergraduate degree from Jacksonville State University, an MBA from George Washington University and a PhD in Economics from the University of Alabama. He served as a Professor in Economics and Business at Judson College, Averett College, and Mississippi University for Women. He also served as Vice President for External Affairs at both Averett College in Danville, VA and MUW in Columbus. He was Director of the Center for Private Enterprise MUW. An ordained deacon in the Baptist church, Dr. Smith was a long time member of First Baptist Church in Columbus. There he served as Sunday School Superintendent and a Sunday School Teacher. He served in many civic organizations, but most recently as a volunteer at Baptist Golden Triangle Hospital and a Board member for the Reach Out Shelter. He battled cancer over 40 years of his life and served on the boards of several Cancer Societies at the local and state level. A lifetime educator, Dr. Smith received a Certificate of Recognition for Service to Children from the MS Dept. of Public Welfare, an Outstanding Service Award from MUW, and was named Division of Business & Communications Faculty Member of the year in 1993. He was also recognized in Whos Who in the South and received the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education. Dr. Smith greatly enjoyed golf and fishing as well as collecting antique fishing lures and vintage golf clubs. He was an inventor, woodworker, and entrepreneur. Over the years he wrote a good deal of poetry, including special poems to his wife, children, and grandchildren. He enjoyed watching the Braves and was an avid University of Alabama fan his entire life. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a sister Dean Cress and a brother Dennis Smith. Dr. Smith is survived by his wife of 54 years Susan; his children Tambra Smith Lamb (David) of Scottsdale AZ and Jon Wendell Smith (Kelley) of Memphis TN; grandchildren Jacob Wendell Lamb, Sheridan Susanne Lamb, Cadence Elise Lamb Oliver Reid Smith, and Mary Dreyer Smith; his sister Barbara Klein (Haydon) of Attalla, AL and sister-in-law Linda Smith of Talladega, AL. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Because He Lives, First Baptist Church, p.O. Box 829, Columbus, MS 39703 or to Christian Youth Theater Phoenix, 6212 E. Helm Dr., Scottsdale, AZ 85254.
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