Ron Smith of Columbus, Mississippi

September 29, 1930 - January 21, 2019

Ronald George “Ron” Smith, age 88, of Columbus, MS died at The Windsor Place at Plantation Pointe on Monday, January 21, 2019. Visitation will be held on Thursday, January 24th, from 1:00-3:00 pm at Memorial Funeral Home, 716 Second Avenue North. The Service will begin at 3:00 pm. Burial will follow in Friendship Cemetery.

Ron was born on September 29, 1930 at home in Jackson, MS to the late Ronald Charles Smith and Rebecca Boggs Smith. At the age of fourteen he and his family moved to Columbus.

He was a member of First Christian Church. He began his Real Estate career in 1977 and became a Licensed Broker in 1980. He, along with his wife, Jane, and her brother, Jimmy Garton, were Co-Owners of All Star Realty from 1981-1989, then they worked as Residential Managers of Century 21, Deep South Properties 1989-1994 before they bought the franchise. In 2000, he and Jane sold Century 21 to Doris Hardy who renamed the company Century 21, Doris Hardy & Associates. They continued to work as broker/agents at Century 21. Ron retired from Century 21, Doris Hardy and Associates when Alzheimer’s affected his memory.

Ron held many offices including President of the Golden Triangle Association of Realtors. He was a Life Member of the Million Dollar Club, Realtor of the Year in 1990 and served as chairperson of numerous committees. On the State level he served on numerous committees including the Board of Directors in 1990. He held the Graduate Realtors Institute (GRI) Designation on the National Level and attended many National Conventions.

Ron graduated from S.D. Lee High School in Columbus and went on to college at Mississippi State University. He participated in various fundraising activities such as American Heart Association, United Way, Salvation Army, and Easter Seals. He also served on the Military Affairs Committee through the Chamber of Commerce.

Playing handball at the YMCA was a favorite pastime for Ron. He was a boxer in high school and was a former AAU boxing coach with Oliver Miller. They traveled across the state promoting boxing and setting up matches. Ron coached many of our youth in T-ball and baseball at Propst Park. He loved to travel and watch Mississippi State Sports.

In addition to his parents, Ron was preceded in death by his sister, Doris Ella Smith Fulton of Columbus. He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Jane Garton Smith of Columbus; three sons, Ronnie (Sheila) Smith of Columbus, Kent Smith of Hermosa Beach, CA and Wayne (Paige) Price of Shelby, AL; two daughters, Becky Smith of Biloxi, MS and Susan Mackay of Columbus; 7 grandchildren, Jessica Smith (Chris) Edwards, Jordan (Jenness) Smith and Amanda Mackay of Columbus, Eric (Ashley) Price of Tuscaloosa, AL, Alana (Mike) Whitehead of Evans, GA, Peyton Cook of Pensacola, FL, Theresa (Josh) Luke of Sullivan’s Island, SC; 14 great-grandchildren Allie and Sarah Vance, Olivia Edwards, Andrew Connors, Ashley Ryan, Sadie and Eli Price, Dresden, Ryland, and Millie Whitehead, Ella Foshee, and Will, Cooper, and Maria Luke; and 2 nephews, Charlie (Karen) Perkins and James (Teresa) Perkins.

Pall Bearers will be Ronnie Smith, Kent Smith, Jordan Smith, Charlie Perkins, James Perkins, and Oliver Miller. Honorary Pall Bearers will be Charles Box, Tommy Brown, Danny Hunt, Willie Jackson, Rick Jones, Joe King, J.T. Lancaster, Henry Myers, J.D. Reed, Phillip Sanders, Jackie Taylor, Trip Trepanier, Harold Weeks, Micky Wilson, Jimmy Perkins, Andy Kalinowski, Forrest Allgood, Andy Boyd, Scott Bromley, Ray Gross, Tyrone Hardy, Patton Whitten, Roger Burlingame, Rusty Greene and Brian Willard.

Memorials may be made to First Christian Church, 811 North McCrary Road, Columbus, MS 39702; The Columbus-Lowndes Humane Society, 50 Airline Road, Columbus, MS 39702; or The American Alzheimer’s Association at alz.org or 225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17, Chicago, IL 60601