Eddie L. Smith

Butner, N.C. - Eddie L. Smith, age 81, died August 25 in nursing facility in Lawrenceville, Ga.He was a native of Telfair Co. Ga. and was the son of the late Rev. A. O. and Anee Mae Oneal Smith. Mr. Smith, a minister, educator and author retired from the Federal Prison System, Department of Education in Butner. He was a graduate in Divinity from Mercer Uneersity, and a Masters of Educationeegree from the Uneersity of Georgia. Mr. Smith was preceded ineeath by his wife, Virginia Nan Smith in March 2000. Mr. Smith is survived by his two daughters and their husbands; Patricia and Marley McLaughlin of Kathleen, Ga, and Deborah and Mike Hurst of Lawrenceville, Ga; and two sons and their wives, Lee and Deb Smith of Nashville, Tn, and Mark and Seina Smith of Colville, WA. There are 10 grandchildren and one great grandson. He is also survived by three stepsons, John Tate of Roseville, Ca, Stillman Tate of Creedmoor, NC, and Jim Tate of Creedmoor, NC, along with their three children. He predeceased his sister, Isabelle Allen of Macon, Ga and brother, Arthur O.Smith, Jr of Warner Robins, Ga. Mr. Smith served as a pastor ineeorgia for over 20 years, and then spent 10 years working at the Federal Prison in Atlanta in the Department of Educationeefore moving to North Carolina in 1981. During the 10 years he worked at the Federal Correctional Institute in Butner, he established a college traneer program through Vance-Granville Community College and a four year program through Shaw Uneersity in the belief that education was a means of reducing our prison population. Following his retirement, Mr. Smith was active in the community. In 1992, ineelebration of the 50th Anneersary of Butner, Mr. Smith and a former resident, Ben Patrick, wrote a 245 page history entitled "Voices from the Field". He was instrumental in the founding of the South Granville Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Butner and in the restoration of many old, desecrated cemetaries in the area. In 1998, he wrote "The History of the First Baptist Church of Butner". He also wrote and published the "Butner Review" which was a monthly community newsletter. Mr. Smith's motto which appeared on every newsletter, was "One Man Can Make a Difference, Every Man Should Try. He did just that. Mr. Smith was active in the Georgia Lodge and also in the Butner Lodge. In April 2001, Tommy Irvin, Past Grand Master Mason and Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture, presented him with his 50 Year Masonic Pin. Above all of the prior mentioned alcolades, Mr. Smith was a loving father and husband who loved his family. He was always there to support aneencourage in the hard times and celebrate with us in the good. Daddy,"Well Done My good and faithful servant." We Love you. Funeral services will be held at the First Baptist Church of Butner at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 30, 2008. Services will be conducted by Reverend Lenny Rogers and John Watson, Jr, Attorney, Oxford, NC.Gentry-neell and Vaughan Funeral Home, Oxford, is in charge of arrangements. The family will receive friends from 10:00 a.m. ntil 11:00 a.m. at the church, immediately preceding the funeral services on August the 30th. Interment will be in the South Granville Memorial Gardens, Butner, NC. Online memorials www.gnvfh.com select obituaries.