LOUISBURG – Warren Woodlief Smith, Sr., 86, of 118 Person Circle, died Saturday afternoon.

Mr. Smith was preceded in death by his wife of 56 years, Betty Harris Smith; his parents, Abner Joseph Smith and Emma Woodlief Smith; his brothers, Austin Turner Smith and Joseph Swindell Smith; his sisters, Phyllis Smith King and Eleanor Burton Smith. He was a 1940 graduate of Zeb Vance High School and he received a Bachelor of Science degree from Wake Forest College and a Master of Education degree from U.N.C.-Chapel Hill. For 44 years, he was involved with the education of students in Franklin County. He was a teacher and coach at both Epsom High School and Edward Best High School. He was also the Principal at Edward Best and he was the Superintendent of Franklin County Schools for 23 years. After retirement from public schools, he served as a part-time math instructor at Louisburg College.

Mr. Smith was a member of the Louisburg United Methodist Church where he served as a Sunday school teacher for more than 50 years and he was a member of the Louisburg Lions Club. After serving in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II in China, Burma, and India, he played on a semi-pro baseball team for eight years. He enjoyed working in his vegetable garden, researching genealogy, and cooking. In 1968, he was named the Man of the Year by the Louisburg Rotary Club. The Franklin County Board of Education honored him in 1989 by naming the classroom building at Edward Best the Warren W. Smith Classroom Building.

Memorial service was 2 p.m. Tuesday at Louisburg United Methodist Church. The Burial was private in the Oakwood Cemetery, Louisburg.

Mr. Smith is survived by his daughter and son in-law, Jackie and Ed McNamara of Louisburg; son and daughter-in-law, Woody and Donna Smith of Lexington; grandson and his wife, Paul and Emily McNamara; granddaughter and her fiancé, Katie McNamara and Brandon Massey; granddaughters, Jennifer Smith and Lisa Smith; sister, Mildred Smith of Louisburg.

The family received friends immediately following the service at Louisburg United Methodist Church.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Louisburg United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 667, Louisburg, NC 27549.

Arrangements are by Strickland Funeral Home, Louisburg.

Paid Obituary