Bennie Smith, 81, of Oxford, died Feb. 16 at Newton Medical Center. The son of the late Raymond and Alice Green Smith, he was born in Walton County and was a member and past deacon of Walnut Grove Baptist Church. Mr. Smith served in the U.S. Army in the Philippines and retired from Bibb Manufacturing following many years of service. He enjoyed fishing, gardening and traveling and dearly loved his family. Mr. Smith was preceded in death by first wife and mother of his children Dorothy Smith.

Surviving are wife Betty Poteet-Smith; daughters and sons-in-law Patricia and Hulon Knight, Lauran and Ricky Willis, Deborah and Bennie Garner, all of Oxford, Scarlett and Charles White, Robin and Rick Miller, all of Covington; sons and daughters-in-law Steve and Janice Smith, Ronnie and Charline Smith, all of Oxford, David Smith and Cathy Kent of Eatonton; 12 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; four step-grandchildren; sister and brother-in-law Emma and David Landress of Social Circle; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law Ruth and Billy Hooper of Oxford, Frances and Larry Marlow of Conyers; several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were held Feb. 19 in the Access Road chapel of Caldwell & Cowan with the Rev. Todd Heil officiating. Interment followed in Corinth Christian Church Cemetery.