Colonel Laurin Gresham Smith, III MD

Colonel Laurin Gresham Smith, III, M.D. (USA, Ret.), age 83, passed away on Thursday, December 8, 2022. Laurin was born in Greensboro, North Carolina. Laurin served 23 years in active duty and reserve roles in the United States military for the Army and Navy. He was a veteran of Operation Desert Storm. In addition to his military service, Laurin served his community as a family physician with Wellstar Health Systems in Kennesaw, GA for over twenty years. Before that, he had a private practice in Orange Park, FL and Marietta, GA, and worked for several medical clinics over the years. He was a registered Pharmacist and completed a residency in Radiology during his long medical career. Though he graduated from both the University of Florida and the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, he was always a loyal Gator fan and enjoyed cheering them on every Saturday. He was known for his unquenchable thirst for knowledge and was a voracious reader. Laurin and his wife Claudia were members of several Presbyterian churches and gave their time to many philanthropic causes, including a mission trip to Nicaragua to work with hurricane victims. He was a history buff, especially the Civil War timeframe, and enjoyed being an amateur Genealogist. In his free time, he loved a good round of golf, a competitive game of chess, and singing with a Barbershop Quartet in the Big Orange Chorus. He was known for his sweet tooth and never turned down cookies or a bowl of ice cream. He always made time for family and will be missed dearly by those lucky enough to have known and loved him.

Laurin is survived by his wife, Claudia Smith; daughter Kelly Wanika (David); son Laurin G. Smith, IV (Eva); son Bradley Smith (Danielle); and son Gregory Myers (Amanda); sister-in-law Lavonne Smith; grandchildren Katherine, Adam, Jacob, Milo, and Justin; and two great grandchildren, Samantha and Penelope.

A celebration of life for Laurin will be held Thursday, January 5, 2023 from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm at the Nature Walk Subdivision Community Center,43 Riverwalk Manor Drive, Dallas, GA 30132. A burial with military honors will occur Friday, January 6, 2023, 1:30 pm at Georgia National Cemetery, 1080 Scott Hudgens Drive, Canton, Georgia 30194. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Colonel Laurin G. Smith's memory may be made to the Parkinson’s Disease Association,apdaparkinson.org.