Charlie Lee Smith

Charlie Lee Smith, born February 10, 1926 in Tullahoma, Tennessee, by the hands of his Lord, his mother Elizabeth, and his father J. B. Smith, entered his eternal home January 4, 2023. Charlie, the youngest of three children, moved to Marietta, Georgia in a fresh snowfall in the winter of 1939/1940, along with his sister Francis Louise and brother John Thomas. His father ran a train from Chattanooga to Atlanta along the same rail-line we listen come through the Marietta Square every day and night, and sent a special whistle blow to his family living on Trammell Street. Elizabeth ‘Lizzie’ Smith took care of the home and family while J.B. ran his locomotive back North and South each and every day. Charlie attended Marietta High School, graduating in 1944, and headed into the service of the U.S. Navy. Charlie’s brother had recently joined the U.S. Army as a tail-gunner in a B-17 Bomber and Charlie quickly headed for the California coast via Annapolis to begin manning a twin 40 MM cannon on his LST protecting strategic shoreline drops and the ships around him. Returning home, he put those same hands and heart to work as an artist for Mr. Crooks’ advertising firm drafting artwork for their clients. Charlie and his brother, John, later began working together setting tanks for gas stations, which eventually lead to the opening of Smith Brothers Amoco on Atlanta Street and later Smith Brothers Gulf gas and service station at the corner of Fairground and the South Marietta 120 Loop. Much of this was to the credit of his one true love Betty Jean Donehoo, whom he made his eternal bride and soulmate in 1948. They settled in and raised four children, Cheryl, Mike, Brian, and Tracy on Maxwell Avenue just blocks from the home he was raised in. Charlie and B.J. raised an amazing family while serving the community of Marietta, caring for the community and businesses through Smith Brothers service station and their church, Crestview Baptist Church (now Grace Pointe Baptist), where Charlie accepted the role of deacon while his wife was Sunday School Class Secretary and cared for the children of the church. Family and football were Charlie’s greatest joys, always ready for weekly fish fries, cheeseburger cookouts, sausage gravy breakfasts at the house and tailgating on the road. Charlie could be found most Saturdays traveling to Knoxville, Tennessee to watch his son, Mike, play defensive line for the Volunteers, spending time under the old Phi Delta magnolia tree with his Old Marietta crew in Athens across from Sanford Stadium, or sitting on his porch waiting for that old train whistle to blow. Charlie carried his passion and detail for service, hard work, love, and life throughout every one of his days and positively impacted everyone he knew with his grateful hands and heart that were always larger than the life he lived. He will always be loved and missed by all that knew him, and will forever remain in the hearts he has touched. Graveside service will be 11:00 AM Monday, January 9th at Kennesaw Memorial Park. Visitation will be 12:00 PM-2:00 PM Monday at Mayes Ward Dobbins in Marietta,

Charlie Lee Smith

February 10, 1926 - January 4, 2023