Individual Details

Death

CONCORD After a six month battle with cancer, Gerald Delton Smith Sr. died in his Kannapolis home on Sunday, May 22, 2011. At the time of his passing, he was surrounded by his wife of almost 41 years, Wilma Furr Smith, and his four children; Elizabeth Smith Goodson, April Denise Smith, Gerald Delton Smith Jr. and Candice Smith Bennett. Also surviving him are his nine grandchildren Aaron Smith; Calab, Isaac, and Elijah Bennett; Leah and Baron Woods; Madison, Sophia, and Grant Goodson. Gerald was the youngest child of the late Howard Alvis Smith and late Mary Fortson Smith of Kannapolis. A brother, Gene Smith, pre-deceased him in September of last year. Surviving siblings are Howard Smith, Flavel Smith, Zadie Smith Pettigrew and Dee Smith Vernon, all of Kannapolis. He is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews. He was a 1965 graduate of A. L. Brown High School where he was very active in sports; lettering three times each in football, basketball and baseball. He served active duty in the United States Army from 1966 to 1969. He was employed by Cannon Mills and its related successor companies for 35 years. He was most recently employed by S&ME in Charlotte as a mechanic, where he truly enjoyed his work and thought highly of his fellow employees. He was best known for his strong work ethic and humble nature, always thinking of others before himself. He enjoyed fishing, singing, but most of all spending time with his family. Visitation will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. at Whitley's Funeral Home in Kannapolis on Thursday, May 26. The Funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, May 27, at Mt. Olive Free Will Baptist Church in Kannapolis. Burial will take place immediately following the service at Carolina Memorial Park in the Garden of Faith. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that a donation be made in Gerald's memory to the Melanoma Research Foundation at http://www. melanoma.org. Concord & Kannapolis Independent Tribune, Concord, North Carolina, May, 2011