Thomas Jackson Smith Jr.

March 3, 1964 – August 30, 2025

Thomas Jackson “Jay” Smith, Jr. was born March 3, 1964, in Tampa, FL, to Frances Laverne Smith and Thomas Jackson Smith, Sr. He grew up in Monticello, Georgia, where he attended Piedmont Academy, playing football and golf, and graduating co-salutatorian in 1982. He went on to attend the University of Georgia for undergrad (Go Dawgs!) and Mercer Law School in Macon, where he earned his law degree and was published in the Mercer Law Review. Jay later built both his career and his family life in Atlanta.

In 1997, Jay married the love of his life, Laura Stovall Smith, and they made their home in Stone Mountain, GA. Together they raised two boys, who were the pride and joy of his life. He played with their toys right alongside them, cheered from the sidelines at countless sporting events, and worked with them both through the long journey to Eagle Scout. In 2022, Jay and Laura welcomed their daughter-in-law, Elizabeth, into the family. He loved her like his own and delighted in having her as a sparring partner.

Jay was one of the smartest and most loyal people you could meet. He was a man of faith, family, and strong convictions, with an appreciation for technology, classic rock and roll, Georgia football, space travel, and Chinese food. He was stubborn as a mule, a passionate defender of the Second Amendment, and a collector of just about everything. He could talk a blue streak, so if you asked his opinion, you’d better have blocked off your afternoon.

Jay had a knack for humor even in the hardest of times. When the doctor told him it was time to consider hospice, he sat down and defiantly ate an entire cup of yogurt—more than he had managed in one sitting for almost three months. With a grin he said, “See, I’ll show them they don’t know what they’re talking about!” That was Jay in a nutshell: strong-willed, quick-witted, and determined to prove a point.

He loved movies, tinkering with gadgets, traveling with his family, and dreamed of living long enough to see man return to the moon. While he didn’t get that wish, his legacy lives on through his family, who carry his passions, his humor, and his example of how to be a good person.

Jay is preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Laura; his sons, Thomas Jackson “Jack” Smith III and Charles Johnson Smith; his daughter-in-law, Elizabeth; and countless friends and family who will miss him dearly.

Jay will be remembered for his love, his loyalty, his wisdom, and his ability to argue with a brick wall—and win.

In lieu of flowers, please consider giving blood to the American Red Cross.