Joe Fleenor Smith, born March 18, 1931, died November 13, 2019, at Bristol Regional Medical Center in Bristol, Tennessee. He was a life-long resident of Washington County Virginia, born in the Lime Hill/Benhams community, in a house in sight of his final home. Delivered by his maternal grandfather, Dr. Joseph Fleenor, Joe was the sixth generation of the Fleenor family to live in the area and the patriarch of the three generations of the Smith family that lives there still.
An avid traveler, he visited all 50 of the United States, 60 countries, every continent and every ocean on the planet. He taught more than 30 years in Sullivan County, Tennessee, retiring from East High School. Known by students as “Joe History,” he pursued his interests in social science outside the classroom as a local historian �" he had an eerie, time traveler’s familiarity with past and present roads, buildings and inhabitants of the community �" and maintained until the end a lively interest in national history and current events.
He served in the U.S. Army from 1953 to 1955 stationed in Germany. He was a member of the National Education Association and the State Street United Methodist Church in Bristol. He was a cattle farmer, gardener, hunter, hiker, photographer, proud Prius owner and fan of Virginia Tech. He graduated from Valley Institute School; King College, class of 1952, Dogwood King, and soloist in the King College Choir; and held graduate degrees from East Tennessee State University and the University of Mississippi.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 59 years, Mary Alice Pursley Smith, by his mother Willie “Bill” Smith, father Emory Smith, and brother Emory Smith Jr.
He is survived by his sister Audra Belle Smith Kincheloe of Kansas City, Missouri, and her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren; by his son Joe and Joe’s wife Becky; by his daughter Angela Shaffer and her husband Don; by his daughter Terryl Yates and husband John; by his seven grandchildren; Natalie and Jared Gibbs, Rachel and Kevin Thayer, Jacob Scyphers, Arthur and Tessa Smith, Andrew and Jillian Smith, Albert and Danielle Smith, Audrey and Bruce Holley; by his eight great-grandchildren: Caroline, James, Lola, Zane, Avery, Warren, Henry and Clara; and by his beloved friend, Mary Kay Dishner.
He lived his life in vital, loving connection with home, place and family, and will be sorely missed by them all.
Joe’s Celebration of Life will be held at State Street Church in Bristol, Virginia on Tuesday, November 19, 2019, at 1:00 p.m.; after which the family will greet visitors.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to State Street United Methodist Church.