Lenora Mccalley

Mrs. McCalley, age 94 was born on December 3, 1922 at Ft. Benning, Ga. She is preceded in death by her parents, Major James J. Coghlan, Sr., USA Ret. and Lenora West Bowen, her husband, Joseph Wilson Smith, Sr., and her husband, Robert Lanford McCalley.

She is survived by her siblings Mary McLaren White of Lookout Mountain, GA, and Colonel James J. Coghlan ,Jr., USA Ret. (Vera) of Walnut Creek, CA, her children Sydney Smith of Phenix City, AL, Lenora Gregory (Norman) of Jacksonville, FL, Joseph W. Smith, Jr. of Columbus, GA, and Walter C. Smith of Birmingham, her stepchildren Lanford McCalley (Brooks), Winston McCalley (Heather), Charles McCalley (Lee Anne), and Will McCalley (AnnaRuth), all of Birmingham, AL, her grandchildren West Gregory (Ashley) of Tallahassee, FL, Ethan Gregory (Melissa) of Jacksonville, FL, Elizabeth Melancon (Trey) of Birmingham, AL, Wilson Smith of Austin, TX; Caroline Smith of Austin, TX; and Virginia Smith of Santa Rosa Beach, FL, her step-grandchildren Grace McCalley, Robbie McCalley, Carolyn McCalley, Meg McCalley, Charlie McCalley, Wesley McCalley, Frances McCalley, and Hill McCalley, her great-grandchildren Margaret Melancon, Bryce Gregory, and Baxter Gregory, and by numerous nieces and nephews.

She attended Vanderbilt University, Randolph Macon Woman’s College, and graduated from Columbus State University with a degree in history. She was a member of the Cathedral Church of the Advent and a member of the Daughters of the King. She maintained a lifelong interest in learning, read broadly and voraciously, and was a long-time member of the Advent Book Club. She was fluent in French and was a graduate of The Education for Ministry program offered through The University of the South, Sewanee, TN. She was President of the Ft. Benning Chapter of the Association of the United States Army. She received the Livingston Award for her dedicated service to the soldiers of the USA.

She was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Columbus Country Club, the Birmingham Country Club, the Gaieties Dance Club, where she was a former president, and the Fifty-Nine Forever tennis group.

She raised her children in Phenix City, where she moved after World War II with her first husband, Joe, and maintained an active civic presence, founding the Phenix City-Russell County Public Library, and served as president of the Russell County Historical Commission. She was instrumental in the creation of the Fort Mitchell National Cemetery in Fort Mitchell, AL. Growing up in an army family, she lived at various times across the globe, including New York City, San Francisco, Manila, Beijing, Paris, and her beloved Cloudland, Georgia, where she met her second husband, Bob.

The family wishes to give special thanks to Rene Myricks, who took care of her and brought such joy to her final months.

Funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM, Friday, February 17, 2017 at Cathedral Church of the Advent, 2017 6th Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35203, with visitation one hour prior to the service. Interment will be on Tuesday, February 21, 2017, at 11:00 AM at Fort Mitchell National Cemetery, 553 Highway 165, Fort Mitchell, AL 36856. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to a charity of your choice.