Charles Arvin Smith, 65,of Ben Hill County, died Thursday, June 6, 2013.
Funeral services will be held 2 PM, Sunday, June 9, 2013 at New Bethel Holiness Baptist Church in Ben Hill County with the Rev. Chris Merritt and the Rev. Herschel Smith officiating. Interment will follow in the New Bethel Cemetery, Ben Hill County. The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 Friday evening at the funeral home in Fitzgerald. The body will lie in state at the residence, 110 Sparrow Road, from 2 PM Saturday afternoon until the time of service on Sunday.
Mr. Smith was born June 6, 1948 in Irwin County to the late Marcus Luke Smith and Mae Grantham Smith. He was wounded while serving in the United States Army, First Calvary Division, during the Vietnam War. He lived in the community most of his life and was a farmer. He enjoyed gardening, fishing and being outdoors. He was a member of Deberry Baptist Church.
He is survived by his children: Melissa Smith, Jed Smith, Jessica & Chris Jackson, Hershell & Sonya Smith and Ashley Smith all of Fitzgerald; 11 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; siblings: Jessie Mae Terzino of Adel, Dorothy Nell (Jack) Tresslar of Albany, Rev. Herchell E. (Margaret) Smith of Pearson, Virgil O. (Elizabeth) Smith, Hubert L. (Janice) Smith and Charlene Elaine (Steve) Foster, all of Fitzgerald; his companion: Vickie L. Smith of Fitzgerald and his children’s mother: Jessie Mae Smith of Lawrenceville. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers: Milton Marcus Smith and Joseph Walter Smith.