Morris "Shine" Smithson

Morris “Shine” King Smithson, age 96, of Cottondale, Alabama, born February 6, 1930, died August 8, 2026, at home as he wished. His Celebration of Life will be 11 am, Thursday, August 13, at Rosedale Baptist Church with Jimmy Garner and Quanah Spence officiating. Burial will follow in Memory Hill Gardens. Visitation will be on Wednesday night, August 12, from 6-8 pm at Memory Chapel Funeral Home.

Morris was preceded in death by his parents, Carlos and Ethel Smithson, as well as his siblings, Mike, James, and Gladys “Tootsie” Smithson and Dorothy “Dot” Tidmore, and grandson Anthony “Lee/Ant” Smithson, Jr.

Survivors include his wife, Addie “Bobbie” (Johnson) Smithson of Cottondale; daughter, Pam Parsons of Vestavia Hills; son, Anthony “Tony” Smithson (wife Deborah) of Northport; grandsons Zach Smithson (wife Mary) of Cleveland, OH, David Parsons (Lindsay) of Providence, RI, and John Parsons of Vestavia Hills. He has one great grandson, Arlo Smithson. He was loved by the Johnson family who always considered him as one of their own, and a special mention goes out to the Johnson sisters and husbands Faye and Willard Corley, Kay and Larry Gover, Jan and Grover Wedgeworth, Nina Davis and Clara Weaver. Nieces Sue McSpadden and Joan Jackson were like daughters to him as well. They all loved him so much over the years, but especially his last few days. With so many sisters in the family, the nephews, nieces, and cousins are too many to call out by name.

Morris was born at home in Hale County, AL, and grew up in the Kings Hollow community south of Moundville. He graduated from Moundville High School before serving in the U.S. Army. He returned to Tuscaloosa at the end of his tour of duty, and married the love of his life, Bobbie, one of those Johnson girls from Moundville. They were married for 3 weeks shy of 73 years, an achievement fewer than 0.1% of marriages in the United States can boast. He retired from the Tuscaloosa Fire Department and was the oldest living retiree at the time of his passing. Everyone in the fire department called him Shine, a nickname that was hung on him when he was a child and stayed with him until the end of his life. He was a captain at the #2 Fire Station when it was attached to Denny Stadium; you could walk from the station straight onto the playing field. His longest tenure was captain of the #5 Fire Station at Southside near Rosedale. At one time, they were the busiest station in the city, answering more calls than any other station. For many years, he was a faithful employee of ABZ Rent-All (his second job) where he was just part of the Brannon family who were owners during that time.

Morris and Bobbie were long-time members of Rosedale Baptist Church. He served as a deacon, Chairman of Deacons, and Life Deacon. Even before his retirement, but especially afterwards, he and Bobbie regularly visited the sick, hospitalized, and shut-ins. He was faithful in attendance until his last few years when their health prevented it. However, not being able to attend did not stop him from keeping up with his fellow church members, family, and friends. He called routinely to check on the sick and recovering, ask how they were doing, and offer moral support. He also called others just to catch up.

He was a patient man. He took Bobbie fishing whenever she wanted to go (well, almost whenever because she ALWAYS wanted to go fishing) and was willing to clean all the fish they caught, just as she was willing to cook them. He loved his children (Pam and Tony) unconditionally, celebrating their victories and achievements and feeling their losses and pain deeply. He loved his daughter-in-law Deborah like she was one his own. His grandchildren were the light of his life, with both Lee and David living with them at times while attending university. He was proud of all his grandsons and followed their exploits closely. These last couple of years, if you wanted to see his face light up, just put great-grandson Arlo in his lap. His greatest joy was in those boys, and his greatest sorrow was when he lost his firstborn grandson in 2025. It seemed he really never got over that loss.

Rosedale hosted a birthday celebration for Morris when he turned 90. On reflection of the hundreds who came to wish him Happy Birthday, he said he thought he had outlived everyone he knew and was afraid no one would be there for the party. He was SO wrong. His legacy of love and faithfulness in the lives he affected will last far beyond his 96 years. He was and is so greatly loved. Even at the end, he had his wits about him, much more than one would expect from a 96-year-old. He loved to laugh, and there was almost always a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye.

Albert Einstein once said: "Try not to become a man of success but rather try to become a man of value. He is considered successful in our day who gets more out of life than he puts in. But a man of value will give more than he receives.” Morris “Shine” Smithson was a man of value, not measured in what he had but who he was and what he gave. He put in more than he received to the very end. He was one of the kindest humans to grace this Earth. Well done faithful servant, enter thou into your rest. You will be missed but we know will see you one day on the other side.

Pallbearers will be grandsons Zach Smithson, David Parsons, and John Parson; nephews Rodney Corley and Tim Weaver; great nephew Doug Henry; and long-time friends Tim Robertson and Rodney Robertson.

Honorary pallbearers are past and present members of Rosedale Baptist Church, Tuscaloosa City Fire Resue both active and retired, VA hospital staff, especially Lisa Morris and Dr. Avinash Nichani, Oasis Hospice care staff, and good neighbor (really another daughter) Sandra Harding. A special thank you to his beloved caregivers: Sherry Booker, Brenda Pickens, Monica Tidmore, and Margie Hagler. He loved you like you were part of the family because you were.