Obituary courtesy Len Harrell
Former Pike County Circuit Court Judge Drennen Michael " Mike" Smith, 73, of Summit, died Jan. 1, 2014, at Franklin County Hospital in Meadville.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Drennen Raymond and Katherine Szabo Smith and his sister, Ann Rye.
He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Lloyd Dean Osborne Smith; his son and daughter-in-law, Matthew S. and Arlena Kelly Smith of Summit; his daughter and son-in-law, Angela Smith Gore and Dr. Steven Marshall Gore of Waynesville, NC; his brother, Father Patrick R. Smith of Madison and six grandchildren he loved dearly, Abbey Lee Smith, Jesse Micah Smith, Anna Marie Gore, Andrew Marshall Gore, Julia Katherine Gore and Christina Claire Gore.
He had a long career as a private attorney, Pike County Board of Supervisors attorney and judge.
He served as circuit judge from 1995 until he retired from the bench in 2006. He served along with Keith Starrett in the 14th District Circuit Court's first dual judgeship. Prior to then, the district had just one judge.
"Mike had a long career in Pike County both as an attorney and a board attorney and a judge," said Starrett, who is now a U.S. district judge. "He sincerely believed that his decisions as a judge were the right thing to do."
"He was a great guy," said Pike County Circuit Clerk Roger Graves. "I enjoyed working with him. He always wanted to do the right thing, and he tried to be consistent in what he did in relation to being judge. I just grew to love him and appreciate him, and he's going to be missed."
Pike County Chancery Clerk Doug Touchstone was a close friend of Smith's.
"He did some legal work for me and always did a good job. I thought he was an outstanding judge for Pike County," Touchstone said. "He was always good to visit with and give you some advice if you needed it. One thing about Mike: He'd just always tell you how he felt and how he stood. We're going miss him."
As a judge, Smith was known for meting out strict punishment, including maximum sentences. He often urged convicted offenders to attend church.
"Mike believed in a man having some punishment if people did a serious crime or did something that called for serving time," Touchstone said. "He was a good judge and he was well respected, and I think people appreciate a judge that will deal some punishment on somebody that committed a crime that's deserving of punishment."
Smith also loved to hunt. He was a fervent quail hunter until the bird populations plummeted. He also enjoyed deer hunting.
Smith was born July 4, 1940 in Birmingham, Ala., and lived in various parts of the South — Greensburg, N.C., New Roads, La., Paulding, Miss. — before graduating from high school in Akron, Ala.
He received a degree in business administration from Auburn University and went into the Navy on an ROTC program. When he got out in 1963, he worked as an insurance claims adjuster in Atlanta, Birmingham, Orlando, Fla., and Jackson.
At age 26 Smith enrolled in night classes at Jackson School of Law (now Mississippi College School of Law). He received his law degree in 1969 at the age of 29, passed the bar in 1970 and moved to McComb in 1971 to work as an insurance attorney with Wayne Sterling.
Smith later practiced with Wayne Dowdy and William Guy before opening his own office. In 1982 he went to work as part-time attorney for the board supervisors, a position that later became full-time. He served with the board for 10 years.
As board attorney Smith helped lure several industries to the county, including the Sanderson Farms poultry plant. He also lobbied successfully for a new county jail.
"I never felt like I had a powerful position," Smith said in a 1992 interview about his job as board attorney. "I felt like I had a position that would allow me to be of service. I know in my heart that some of the things I was helping them do was helping the quality of life in the county."
He was a member of First Baptist Church in Summit, a mason, shriner and lifetime member of the NRA.
Visitation is Thursday, January 2, 2014 from 5PM until 8PM at Hartman-Sharkey Funeral Home in McComb and Friday from 10AM until services at 11AM with Bro. Webb Armstrong and Bro. Don Allen officiating. Burial will be in Union Church cemetery in Jefferson County.
Former Pike County Circuit Court Judge Drennen Michael " Mike" Smith, 73, of Summit, died Jan. 1, 2014, at Franklin County Hospital in Meadville.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Drennen Raymond and Katherine Szabo Smith and his sister, Ann Rye.
He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Lloyd Dean Osborne Smith; his son and daughter-in-law, Matthew S. and Arlena Kelly Smith of Summit; his daughter and son-in-law, Angela Smith Gore and Dr. Steven Marshall Gore of Waynesville, NC; his brother, Father Patrick R. Smith of Madison and six grandchildren he loved dearly, Abbey Lee Smith, Jesse Micah Smith, Anna Marie Gore, Andrew Marshall Gore, Julia Katherine Gore and Christina Claire Gore.
He had a long career as a private attorney, Pike County Board of Supervisors attorney and judge.
He served as circuit judge from 1995 until he retired from the bench in 2006. He served along with Keith Starrett in the 14th District Circuit Court's first dual judgeship. Prior to then, the district had just one judge.
"Mike had a long career in Pike County both as an attorney and a board attorney and a judge," said Starrett, who is now a U.S. district judge. "He sincerely believed that his decisions as a judge were the right thing to do."
"He was a great guy," said Pike County Circuit Clerk Roger Graves. "I enjoyed working with him. He always wanted to do the right thing, and he tried to be consistent in what he did in relation to being judge. I just grew to love him and appreciate him, and he's going to be missed."
Pike County Chancery Clerk Doug Touchstone was a close friend of Smith's.
"He did some legal work for me and always did a good job. I thought he was an outstanding judge for Pike County," Touchstone said. "He was always good to visit with and give you some advice if you needed it. One thing about Mike: He'd just always tell you how he felt and how he stood. We're going miss him."
As a judge, Smith was known for meting out strict punishment, including maximum sentences. He often urged convicted offenders to attend church.
"Mike believed in a man having some punishment if people did a serious crime or did something that called for serving time," Touchstone said. "He was a good judge and he was well respected, and I think people appreciate a judge that will deal some punishment on somebody that committed a crime that's deserving of punishment."
Smith also loved to hunt. He was a fervent quail hunter until the bird populations plummeted. He also enjoyed deer hunting.
Smith was born July 4, 1940 in Birmingham, Ala., and lived in various parts of the South — Greensburg, N.C., New Roads, La., Paulding, Miss. — before graduating from high school in Akron, Ala.
He received a degree in business administration from Auburn University and went into the Navy on an ROTC program. When he got out in 1963, he worked as an insurance claims adjuster in Atlanta, Birmingham, Orlando, Fla., and Jackson.
At age 26 Smith enrolled in night classes at Jackson School of Law (now Mississippi College School of Law). He received his law degree in 1969 at the age of 29, passed the bar in 1970 and moved to McComb in 1971 to work as an insurance attorney with Wayne Sterling.
Smith later practiced with Wayne Dowdy and William Guy before opening his own office. In 1982 he went to work as part-time attorney for the board supervisors, a position that later became full-time. He served with the board for 10 years.
As board attorney Smith helped lure several industries to the county, including the Sanderson Farms poultry plant. He also lobbied successfully for a new county jail.
"I never felt like I had a powerful position," Smith said in a 1992 interview about his job as board attorney. "I felt like I had a position that would allow me to be of service. I know in my heart that some of the things I was helping them do was helping the quality of life in the county."
He was a member of First Baptist Church in Summit, a mason, shriner and lifetime member of the NRA.
Visitation is Thursday, January 2, 2014 from 5PM until 8PM at Hartman-Sharkey Funeral Home in McComb and Friday from 10AM until services at 11AM with Bro. Webb Armstrong and Bro. Don Allen officiating. Burial will be in Union Church cemetery in Jefferson County.
Obituary courtesy Len Harrell
Former Pike County Circuit Court Judge Drennen Michael " Mike" Smith, 73, of Summit, died Jan. 1, 2014, at Franklin County Hospital in Meadville.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Drennen Raymond and Katherine Szabo Smith and his sister, Ann Rye.
He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Lloyd Dean Osborne Smith; his son and daughter-in-law, Matthew S. and Arlena Kelly Smith of Summit; his daughter and son-in-law, Angela Smith Gore and Dr. Steven Marshall Gore of Waynesville, NC; his brother, Father Patrick R. Smith of Madison and six grandchildren he loved dearly, Abbey Lee Smith, Jesse Micah Smith, Anna Marie Gore, Andrew Marshall Gore, Julia Katherine Gore and Christina Claire Gore.
He had a long career as a private attorney, Pike County Board of Supervisors attorney and judge.
He served as circuit judge from 1995 until he retired from the bench in 2006. He served along with Keith Starrett in the 14th District Circuit Court's first dual judgeship. Prior to then, the district had just one judge.
"Mike had a long career in Pike County both as an attorney and a board attorney and a judge," said Starrett, who is now a U.S. district judge. "He sincerely believed that his decisions as a judge were the right thing to do."
"He was a great guy," said Pike County Circuit Clerk Roger Graves. "I enjoyed working with him. He always wanted to do the right thing, and he tried to be consistent in what he did in relation to being judge. I just grew to love him and appreciate him, and he's going to be missed."
Pike County Chancery Clerk Doug Touchstone was a close friend of Smith's.
"He did some legal work for me and always did a good job. I thought he was an outstanding judge for Pike County," Touchstone said. "He was always good to visit with and give you some advice if you needed it. One thing about Mike: He'd just always tell you how he felt and how he stood. We're going miss him."
As a judge, Smith was known for meting out strict punishment, including maximum sentences. He often urged convicted offenders to attend church.
"Mike believed in a man having some punishment if people did a serious crime or did something that called for serving time," Touchstone said. "He was a good judge and he was well respected, and I think people appreciate a judge that will deal some punishment on somebody that committed a crime that's deserving of punishment."
Smith also loved to hunt. He was a fervent quail hunter until the bird populations plummeted. He also enjoyed deer hunting.
Smith was born July 4, 1940 in Birmingham, Ala., and lived in various parts of the South — Greensburg, N.C., New Roads, La., Paulding, Miss. — before graduating from high school in Akron, Ala.
He received a degree in business administration from Auburn University and went into the Navy on an ROTC program. When he got out in 1963, he worked as an insurance claims adjuster in Atlanta, Birmingham, Orlando, Fla., and Jackson.
At age 26 Smith enrolled in night classes at Jackson School of Law (now Mississippi College School of Law). He received his law degree in 1969 at the age of 29, passed the bar in 1970 and moved to McComb in 1971 to work as an insurance attorney with Wayne Sterling.
Smith later practiced with Wayne Dowdy and William Guy before opening his own office. In 1982 he went to work as part-time attorney for the board supervisors, a position that later became full-time. He served with the board for 10 years.
As board attorney Smith helped lure several industries to the county, including the Sanderson Farms poultry plant. He also lobbied successfully for a new county jail.
"I never felt like I had a powerful position," Smith said in a 1992 interview about his job as board attorney. "I felt like I had a position that would allow me to be of service. I know in my heart that some of the things I was helping them do was helping the quality of life in the county."
He was a member of First Baptist Church in Summit, a mason, shriner and lifetime member of the NRA.
Visitation is Thursday, January 2, 2014 from 5PM until 8PM at Hartman-Sharkey Funeral Home in McComb and Friday from 10AM until services at 11AM with Bro. Webb Armstrong and Bro. Don Allen officiating. Burial will be in Union Church cemetery in Jefferson County.
Former Pike County Circuit Court Judge Drennen Michael " Mike" Smith, 73, of Summit, died Jan. 1, 2014, at Franklin County Hospital in Meadville.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Drennen Raymond and Katherine Szabo Smith and his sister, Ann Rye.
He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Lloyd Dean Osborne Smith; his son and daughter-in-law, Matthew S. and Arlena Kelly Smith of Summit; his daughter and son-in-law, Angela Smith Gore and Dr. Steven Marshall Gore of Waynesville, NC; his brother, Father Patrick R. Smith of Madison and six grandchildren he loved dearly, Abbey Lee Smith, Jesse Micah Smith, Anna Marie Gore, Andrew Marshall Gore, Julia Katherine Gore and Christina Claire Gore.
He had a long career as a private attorney, Pike County Board of Supervisors attorney and judge.
He served as circuit judge from 1995 until he retired from the bench in 2006. He served along with Keith Starrett in the 14th District Circuit Court's first dual judgeship. Prior to then, the district had just one judge.
"Mike had a long career in Pike County both as an attorney and a board attorney and a judge," said Starrett, who is now a U.S. district judge. "He sincerely believed that his decisions as a judge were the right thing to do."
"He was a great guy," said Pike County Circuit Clerk Roger Graves. "I enjoyed working with him. He always wanted to do the right thing, and he tried to be consistent in what he did in relation to being judge. I just grew to love him and appreciate him, and he's going to be missed."
Pike County Chancery Clerk Doug Touchstone was a close friend of Smith's.
"He did some legal work for me and always did a good job. I thought he was an outstanding judge for Pike County," Touchstone said. "He was always good to visit with and give you some advice if you needed it. One thing about Mike: He'd just always tell you how he felt and how he stood. We're going miss him."
As a judge, Smith was known for meting out strict punishment, including maximum sentences. He often urged convicted offenders to attend church.
"Mike believed in a man having some punishment if people did a serious crime or did something that called for serving time," Touchstone said. "He was a good judge and he was well respected, and I think people appreciate a judge that will deal some punishment on somebody that committed a crime that's deserving of punishment."
Smith also loved to hunt. He was a fervent quail hunter until the bird populations plummeted. He also enjoyed deer hunting.
Smith was born July 4, 1940 in Birmingham, Ala., and lived in various parts of the South — Greensburg, N.C., New Roads, La., Paulding, Miss. — before graduating from high school in Akron, Ala.
He received a degree in business administration from Auburn University and went into the Navy on an ROTC program. When he got out in 1963, he worked as an insurance claims adjuster in Atlanta, Birmingham, Orlando, Fla., and Jackson.
At age 26 Smith enrolled in night classes at Jackson School of Law (now Mississippi College School of Law). He received his law degree in 1969 at the age of 29, passed the bar in 1970 and moved to McComb in 1971 to work as an insurance attorney with Wayne Sterling.
Smith later practiced with Wayne Dowdy and William Guy before opening his own office. In 1982 he went to work as part-time attorney for the board supervisors, a position that later became full-time. He served with the board for 10 years.
As board attorney Smith helped lure several industries to the county, including the Sanderson Farms poultry plant. He also lobbied successfully for a new county jail.
"I never felt like I had a powerful position," Smith said in a 1992 interview about his job as board attorney. "I felt like I had a position that would allow me to be of service. I know in my heart that some of the things I was helping them do was helping the quality of life in the county."
He was a member of First Baptist Church in Summit, a mason, shriner and lifetime member of the NRA.
Visitation is Thursday, January 2, 2014 from 5PM until 8PM at Hartman-Sharkey Funeral Home in McComb and Friday from 10AM until services at 11AM with Bro. Webb Armstrong and Bro. Don Allen officiating. Burial will be in Union Church cemetery in Jefferson County.
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