Dorothy Leigh Smith

Ms. Dorothy Leigh Smith, 88, of Sandy Springs, GA, was surrounded by her family when she died peacefully on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at the Arbor Terrace South Forsyth Memory Care Facility in Suwanee, GA.

Ms. Dorothy (Dot) Smith was born July 26, 1936, in Marlboro County, SC to the late Lester Harold Haire and Mary Cox Haire. She grew up the eldest daughter of twelve children on a small family farm in South Carolina where she helped care for her younger siblings and traveled with her father to sing at revivals. In 1957, she married and was blessed with a daughter. When the marriage ended, she received her associates degree and worked as a nursing assistant. In 1963, she married and was blessed with two sons. During her 24-year marriage, she was a loving and devoted wife and mother. She was the most giving person, making personal sacrifices for those she loved throughout her life. She was very involved in the lives of her children and grandchildren, volunteering as room-mother/team-mom, and caring for her grandchildren whenever she was needed. She helped in any way she could without hesitation.

For most of her life she was a homemaker, but in the late 1970’s she restarted her career joining Medical Personnel Pool to manage placement of overflow nursing staff in multiple Atlanta area hospitals. She became involved in soccer when her sons started playing in local and traveling soccer leagues. She volunteered with the Dekalb Soccer and Georgia State Soccer Associations to help grow interest in the sport her family grew to love. She later managed her own soccer league for teams of women, men, and children until she retired in 2014.

Ms. Smith had an adventurous spirit, was a wonderful southern cook, and an avid reader. She loved to fish, work in her yard, watch UNC Tarheel basketball and Falcon’s football, and spend time with her family over a special meal she prepared. She simply enjoyed doing things that made people happy. She grew up in a religions family and introduced her children to her Christian faith. While she didn’t attend a specific church in her later years, her faith in God never waned.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by five siblings, Laverne Haire, Don Haire, Rosa Buck, Lenolia Haire, Steven Haire, as well as one granddaughter, Iris Smith.

She is survived by her daughter and two sons; Sherry Lynette Dean (Tom) of Alpharetta, GA, Robert Clark Smith Jr. of Marietta, GA, and Timothy Carlyle Smith (Tracey) of Lithonia, GA: four grandchildren; Sam Dean (Alisha), Nara Smith (Austin), Trey Smith (Dena), Brie Carpenter (Seth): one great-granddaughter; Ella Carpenter: six siblings; Andrew Haire (Sara) of Thomasville, NC, Eddie Haire (Nancy) of Kilgore, TX, Velma Byerly (Jerry) of Thomasville, NC, Gertrude Ritchie (Larry) of Thomasville, NC, Glenn Haire of Alabama, and Rhonda Lambeth (Jay) of Trinity, NC; as well as multiple nieces and nephews.

Many thanks go to her caregivers, Payton Washburn and the staff at Arbor Terrace South Forsyth as well as Maritu Enyew and the staff at Agape Hospice Care, and the staff of Emory’s Integrated Memory Care Clinic for the excellent and compassionate care they provided Dorothy and her family.

At Dorothy Smith’s request, Floral Hills Funeral Services in Tucker, Georgia oversaw a private family service held on May 19, 2025.

If you’d like, donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association in memory of Ms. Dorothy Leigh Smith using the following website; https://www.alz.org/ or by calling 800-272-3900.