Marlin Leon Smith

Marlin was born January 4, 1939 in Wayne County, MS to W.C. and Jennie Marie Smith. He attended Clara High School, JCJC, and USM with a final master's degree in education. Marlin's lifelong interest was in music. He worked for 10 years at WABO in Waynesboro and played bluegrass with the same band for over 30 years. Bluegrass is what brought Marlin and Kay together. After they married in 1984, Marlin became a teacher and retired from the MS Youth Challenge Program at Camp Shelby.

His parents, W.C. "Cotton" Smith and Jennie Marie (Jake) Smith-Gordon precede him in death.

Family members include his wife, Hannah "Kay" Smith of Hattiesburg; one daughter, Ginger (Jody) Melton of Dallas, TX; one sister, Jenell (Bob) Little of Stateline, MS; two stepsons, Steve (Cassie) Cochran of Janice, MS, Billy (Shelley Kaufeld) Bell of Orlando, FL; five grandchildren; three great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Respectfully, family and friends will share in a celebration of life for Marlin on his next birthday at the McLaurin Community Center on Tuesday, January 4, 2022 at 2:00 pm.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.whitefuneralhomepoplarville.com for the Smith family.

White Funeral Home, (601) 795-4982.