Jack Winfred Smith

Jack Winfred Smith, 85, of Darlington, SC died Saturday, Sept 24, 2022 at McLeod Hospital in Florence, SC with his daughters, Honey Newberry and Gwendolyn Miles by his side.

Funeral services will be held Saturday October 1, 2022 at 11:00 at the Chapel of Norton Funeral Home.  Rev. Becky Forrest and Rev. Jackie Knight will officiate.  Burial will follow at the Grove Hill Cemetery directed by Norton Funeral Home.  Family will have gathering at the residence at 2217 Harry Byrd Hwy, Darlington, SC following the graveside service.  Visitation will be Friday September 30, 2022 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm at Norton Funeral Home. 

Memorials may be made to the Shriner’s Hospital, 950 W Faris Rd, Greenville, SC 29605.

Jack was born February 11, 1937 in York, PA to the late Charles Edward Smith Jr. and Laretta May Kohler.  He was born at the home of his father’s parents.  Jack attended a 1-room schoolhouse through 8^th grade with only one little girl in his class until 4^th grade when another little girl joined their grade.  In high school he loved and enjoyed the trade classes where he learned woodworking, mechanics, drafting to name a few.

Jack started working at a young age.  Under the age of 10 he hunted and trapped to not only put food on the table but to sell the pelts.  During his teenage years part time jobs were being a mechanic as well as working on local farms.  Jack joined the US Air Force directly after high school and enjoyed being stationed in SC and Germany.  As an adult he retired from Sonoco Products Company where he was a machinist.  But he also had his own businesses, a gas station, camper sales including making camper tops for pickup trucks, a go-kart track hosting national race events, and multiple restaurants being the main ones.

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, and he was many things but never dull.  As a child his love of music began when he would walk down from his grandparents’ house on Sundays to watch artists out of Nashville perform.  That is when he met Ferlin Husky who would become a good friend in later years as well as the chance to meet Hank Williams Sr.  He helped as a mechanic on a neighbor’s racecar and before he was old enough to have a license, he had already been in his first race. He would later race when he moved to SC and become friends with many NASCAR drivers.  He enjoyed giving back to the community and did so as a Mason and Shriner.  As a Shriner he has been a clown, a hillbilly and Potentate, but most important to him he helped raise money for the Shriner Children’s Hospital.  With his love of music and friendships with those who made it, Jack organized and promoted multiple benefit concerts for multiple organizations.

Jack met his wife, Essie Lewis Smith, through a good friend’s wife who set them up on a blind date.  She was the love of his life and by his side to help through all of his adventures of life.  Together they loved traveling, camping, but mostly spending time with family and friends.

Survivors include his brother Gene (Toshiko) Smith of Pasadena, CA; his daughters, Pam (Steve) Kerr of Hatfield, PA, Honey (Robert) Newberry of Darlington, SC, and Gwendolyn (Clint) Miles of Darlington, SC; his granddaughters, Heather Suen of North Charleston, SC, Courtney (Scott) Seltzer of Glen Mills, PA, and Kristen Daneker of Royersford, PA; and 8 great-grandchildren as well as numerous nephews and nieces. 

He was predeceased by his wife, Essie Lewis Smith; and his brothers Charles Edward Smith III and Edward Clark Smith.

“A life so beautifully lived, should be beautifully remembered”.

Norton Funeral Home and Crematory is honored to serve the Smith family.