Thomas Keith Smith, Army veteran and engineer, died on May 3, 2022 at the age of 90.
Keith was born to Ivan Rush Smith and Lillian Mae Biddle Smith on October 20, 1931. He grew up with siblings, Ivan, Barbara and Wayne, in Gadsden, Birmingham, Cottonwood and Anniston, Alabama. They spent summers in Key West, Florida, where their father aided in maintaining submarines during the war and their mother was the proprietor of a small restaurant. After graduating from Anniston High School, he co-opted through Auburn University as an employee of J. I. Case. He married Frances McKenzie in 1952 and they began what would be 69 years of marriage. He also served in the U. S. Army and Army Reserves. Continuing to work for J. I. Case after earning a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, and later for Owens Corning Fiberglass, Keith and his family moved twenty-nine times before settling in Douglasville, Georgia. Frances and Keith had three children, Terry, Cindy and Mike. For many years, Keith owned Davis Sales Co., Inc., a gasoline equipment distributor. In the 1980’s, this company was sold and his own engineering consulting firm, Kear, Inc., was born. As a consulting engineer, Keith managed a wide variety of jobs, including interstate highway projects in Florida, the restoration of a historical building in New York, and the start-up of a fiberglass manufacturing facility in Thailand. Downtime involved family and nature. Drawn to the north Georgia mountains, he spent quality time fly fishing and canoeing. There were many camping trips with Cindy’s family, hiking the Appalachian Trail with Mike, and nature trails with Terry’s family. Trips to north Georgia included his wife, children, son-in-laws, Rick Battiste and John O’Hare, daughter-in-law, Cathy Smith, grandchildren, Tom and Leah Battiste, Natalie and Allyson O’Hare, Sabrina and Madeline Smith, and great-grandson, Avery O’Hare. An avid reader, Keith studied the Bible and taught Sunday School. He enjoyed cross-word puzzles and sudoku. In his 80’s he took guitar lessons. Keith was a leader by example, demanding of himself but understanding of others. His kindness crossed all walks of life and touched our hearts daily. A memorial service will be held at a later date.
White Columns Chapel & Cremations is honored to serve the family of Thomas Keith Smith.
Published by White Columns Funeral Chapels, Inc. on May 19, 2022.
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