Carole Smith
photo by Carole Smith
Carole F. Smith, “Mutti”, passed away on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2016, surrounded by her family. She was 94.
Carole was born April 25, 1922 in Greenville, SC to the late Harriet and Edward Fluker. She was a graduate of St. Petersburg Florida High School, class of 1938, and she attended St. Pete Business College.
Carole met her husband, Lyman B. Smith, who was stationed in St. Pete with the Air Force. After World War II was over, she and her family moved to Chattanooga.
Carole began to write music for Capital Records as a contract writer for five years where she met Sonny James and wrote lyrics and music with him for over 25 years. She had over two hundred songs recorded with five number one hit singles. She had recordings by many outstanding artists including The Oak Ridge Boys, George Jones, Andy Williams, Pat Boone, Marie Osmond, The Jordanaires (who were the back-up for Elvis Presley). Kelly Clarkson sang one of her songs for President Obama at his Christmas Dinner. One of the highlights of her career was having three songs on the Disc Jockey Dick Clark Show in one day.
Carole loved real estate and was involved in buying older homes, remodeling, and selling them, which she did in Florida, Alabama, and Tennessee. She and her husband along with son Robert and daughter Katie started Ooltewah Specialty Packaging Company to manufacture corrugated boxes. They kept Ooltewah Specialty for 18 years and sold it to Georgia Pacific Container Company in 1989.
Carole was a charter member of Bayside Baptist Church where she served as a member of the choir and for many years wrote the Christmas Pageant with Mark Blair. She was a member of the Emmanuel Small Group Class.
Carole was preceded in death by her sons, Lyman James “Jimmy” Smith and Dr. David C. Smith along with David’s wife, Valerie Smith; and a brother, Ed Fluker.
Carole is survived by her husband, Lyman B. Smith; son, Robert Smith and wife, Karen; her daughter, Katie Steffner and husband Skip. She also has many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Sean and Brenda Smith and their son, Adrian Marc; Aren Smith and his daughter, Maya; Mac and Vicki Buggle and their sons, Logan and Brody; Jes and Ashley Steffner and their children, Caitlynn, Beau, and Grayson; Billy and Starr Wilson and their children, Brittany, Trip, James, and Lucas; Steve Steffner; Mason Lyman and Lauren Smith and their son, Beckett; Matt and Cameron Moreland and their children, David, Ella Kate, and Sean; Jarett and Mary Carole Hall and their children, Mathias and Valerie; a brother, David Fluker and his wife, Bobbie and family; and brother Ed Fluker’s wife, Dee and family.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Bayside Baptist Church Building Fund: 6100 Highway 58 North, Harrison, TN 37341.
The family will receive friends from 4-7 p.m. at Bayside Baptist Church on Tuesday, Dec. 27.
A Celebration of Life service will be held at Bayside Baptist Church at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 28, with Sr. Pastor Eric Stitts officiating. A gaveside will be held at a later date at the Chattanooga National Cemetery for family.
Arrangements are made by the Chattanooga Funeral Home Crematory and Florist, Valley View Chapel, 7414 Old Lee Highway, Chattanooga, Tn. 37421.
Please share your thoughts and memories at www.ChattanoogaValleyViewChapel.com.