Robert Lee Smith Sr.

US Navy Seabee, WWII Veteran and Entrepreneur

Robert Lee Smith Sr., 91, of Stone Mountain, died Saturday May 21, 2011. He died of complications from Alzheimer’s disease. He was born to Charles Franklin and Minnie Williard Smith of Kernersville, N.C. on June 19, 1919.

Bob was a self-made man from Kernersville, N.C. who taught strong work ethics to others. He gave 200% to any company he worked for and to his military duties. As a 23 year old during WWII, he made his way into shipyard operations at Newport News, VA. building ships including the Yorktown Aircraft Carrier. He later traveled to Panama City, Florida to work for Wainwright Shipyard where he met his wife of 65 years, Marion Wrenn of Charlotte, NC, who was working at the shipyard for the Maritime Commission. Bob later went into the military joining the US Navy Seabees Construction Battalion serving in the Philippines. After an honorable discharge from the Navy in December 1945, he returned home from Military service. Bob worked for E.F.Craven Company of Greensboro, NC for several years, performing field repair and service on heavy machinery including rock crushers, cranes and other road building machines throughout North Carolina. He was then employed by Wrenn Brothers material handling company of Charlotte, N.C... He was assigned the duty of developing and organizing their service departments as the company opened branches in Greenville, S.C, Chattanooga, TN, and Atlanta, GA. Organization was one of his strongest talents along with management skills. Having successfully implemented and grown these service departments, he decided that it was time to fulfill his lifetime dream of opening his own business. Bob opened the doors to his own business, Atlanta Fork Lifts, Inc. in 1973 at the age of 55 and became a respected award winning Toyota Forklift Dealer in 1977 where he worked until he was forced to retire at age 86 due to Alzheimer’s disease.

Bob was a past president of the Optimist Club of Stone Mountain, a member of MHEDA (Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association), and a member of St. Bedes Episcopal Church in Atlanta where he ushered for so many years that parishioners thought he was a permanent fixture at the door of the sanctuary.

Bob was always ready and willing to help anyone when needs presented themselves and his assistance included a long history of providing aide to widows and aide to the destitute through the order of nuns at Our Lady of Perpetual Care in Atlanta.

Bob is survived by his wife Marion, son Robert Lee Smith Jr, and wife Phyllis of Monroe, GA.; and five grandchildren, Zachary and wife Hannah of Greenville, SC, Renee, Joshua, Adam and Elizabeth, all of Monroe, Ga.

The family will receive visitors on Wednesday, May 25, 2011 from 6:00 until 8:00pm at Floral Hills Funeral Home in Tucker, GA.

Memorial Services will be held on Thursday May 26, 2011 at 4:00pm at Floral Hills Funeral Home Chapel with Dr. Todd Ware of First Baptist Church Monroe officiating.

The family is requesting that In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 41 Perimeter Center East, Suite 550, Atlanta, GA 30345 and Gideon International, P.O.Box 665, Stone Mountain, GA 30086-0665.

Arrangements by Floral Hills Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 3150 Lawrenceville Hwy, Tucker, GA 770/491-3021