George Clayton Smith

GEORGE CLAYTON SMITH, age 85, Baldwin, GA died Saturday, April 15, 2006 at Northeast Georgia Medical Center. Mr. Smith was born December 24, 1920 in Banks County, GA to the late Logan Sylvester Smith, Sr. and Lena Stephens Smith. He was also preceded in death by his wife, Ruth Brown Smith, two brothers, Logan Sylvester (Happy) Smith, Jr. and Bruce Coolidge Smith, and a sister, Isabel Smith Ervin. Mr. Smith was a retired educator with Lula Elementary, Banks County Elementary and High School, Baldwin Elementary, and South Habersham Junior High with a combined total of 30 years of dedicated service. He was a member of Broad River Baptist Church, Deacon and Sunday School Teacher. Mr. Smith was a veteran of World War II, having served in the United States Army Air Corps. He was a member of the Habersham Retired Educators Association and former columnist writing "Country at Heart" for the Northeast Georgian. Survivors include his children: Daniel James Smith, Central, SC; Rebecca Smith Purcell, Mt. Airy, GA; Samuel Clayton Smith, Lynchburg, VA; Philip Mark Smith, Baldwin, GA; two sisters: Annie Ruth Smith Wilbanks and Elizabeth Ostine Smith Wilbanks both of Baldwin, GA; grandchildren: Abigail, Caleb, and Hannah Purcell; Kendra, Logan, Kayla, and Haddon Smith; Jessica and Addison Smith. Funeral services will be held 11:00 A.M. Saturday, April 22, 2006 at Broad River Baptist Church with Rev. Connie Berry and Rev. Terry Purcell officiating. Burial will follow in the Harmony Baptist Church Cemetery with Rev. Ray Rhodes officiating. The family will receive friends at the Whitfield Funeral Home, South Chapel, Baldwin, from 2 to 4 and 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, April 21, 2006. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Lena Stephens Smith Missionary Offering c/o Broad River Baptist Church, 306 Ferguson Road, Baldwin, GA 30511. COMPLETE ARRANGEMENTS ARE IN THE CARE OF WHITFIELD FUNERAL HOME, SOUTH CHAPEL, AND BALDWIN, GA.