Richard Bembry Smith

Name: Visitation
Start: 08/05/2013 04:00 PM
End: 08/05/2013 07:00 PM
Location: Clark Funeral Home

August 26, 1925 — August 1, 2013

Dr. Richard Bembry Smith, DDS passed away on August 1, 2013 at Lower Cape Fear Hospice and Life Care Center at the age of 87. He was born in Hawkinsville, GA on August 26, 1925 to Amanda Woodard Smith and Richard Bembry Smith, Sr. He is preceded in death by his parents, Amanda and Richard Smith, and brother, James Lamkin Smith. Surviving family members are his wife, Dixey Andrews Smith, children – Lindsay Nell Smith, Lani Smith Lawrence, Cary Richard Smith and Scott Havens Smith. Surviving grandchildren are L.A. Brown, IV (Amy), Anne Brown Teller (Josh), Shannon Withington Lawrence, Brianna Lawrence Shalt (Matthew), Scott Havens Lawrence, Russell Andrews Smith and Amanda Bembry Smith, and great grandchildren, Havens and Walton Shait, his sister, Nell Smith Jackson (Hiram). Also to be remembered are special friends, Nels Schlander, Wendy Jones Smith and Marthella Fedd.
Dick, as he was mostly called, graduated from Hawkinsville High School following his eleventh grade. He then entered Emory University in Atlanta where he was a member of KA fraternity, sang in the Emory Glee Club and proceeded with his pre-dental studies for two years. He then was accepted at Northwestern University Dental School in Chicago. The V12 program enabled him to graduate in two years with a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree as well as being commissioned in the U.S. Navy as a Lieutenant. It was while he was serving on a ship as a dental officer stationed in Norfolk that he met the Captain's daughter, Dixey. They would have celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in December. Upon his release from the Navy in 1947, he returned to Hawkinsville and resumed his dental practice. Dixey and Dick were very involved with the Opera House Little Theater and will always be remembered for their portrayal of Ethel and Norman in "On Golden Pond". He was a member of the Hawkinsville First Baptist Church and Rotary Club. He retired in 1983 and continued his passion for flowers and plants with his two greenhouses of orchids and also his bonsais.
It was in 1991 that they moved to Wilmington, North Carolina where he was a member of the First Presbyterian Church and Civitan Club.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to First Baptist Church Building Fund, to the M.E. Roden Library, and to The Opera House. A memorial service will be held at The First Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, NC at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 3, 2013, with Dr. Pete Brown presiding. The family will receive friends at Clark Funeral Home on Monday, August 5, 2013 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Graveside services will be held at Orange Hill Cemetery on Tuesday, August 6, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. with The Very Reverend Dr. Gary L. Abbott, Sr. and Dr. Don McClung presiding.

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Service Schedule

Past Services

Visitation

Monday, August 5, 2013

4:00 - 7:00 pm (Eastern time)

Clark Funeral Home

142 Commerce Street, Hawkinsville, GA 31036

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Graveside Service

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Starts at 11:00 am (Eastern time)

Orange Hill Cemetery

101 6th Street, Hawkinsville, GA 31036

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Cemetery

Orange Hill Cemetery

75 Industrial Boulevard, Hawkinsville, GA 31036

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