Betty S. Smith

Betty S. Smith, born July 7, 1934, In Dalton, passed away on Sunday, April 16, 2023, at her home at Royal Oaks surrounded by her loving family. Betty is preceded in death by her parents, Russell and Edna Wilbanks of Resaca and her brother, Bill (William) Wilbanks, of Rocky Face. She is survived by her loving husband, Alton M. Smith; two children, Frederick H. Howalt (Chip and Cindy) and Patricia Jones (Patti and Doug); stepson, Nolan Smith (Starr); grandchildren, Beau and Joe Howalt and Nolan Smith; and sister, Shirley Childs (Fred). Many nieces and nephews also survive.

Betty attended Valley Point High School, where she played basketball and eagerly participated in school plays. Betty would affectionately recall her father saying, “If she wasn’t always fixing her hair on the court, she might actually be a good player.” Anyone who knew Betty, knew that she was always going to look her best—even if it meant allowing someone else to dribble past her to the basket. She was very proud of Valley Point and looked forward to their annual alumni meetings and her graduating class reunions (Class of 1953).

After graduating from Valley Point, Betty went on to receive her Associate’s Degree as a Dental Hygienist and began working at an early age for Dr. Julian Gregory as one of the first dental assistants in the area. She adored Dr. Gregory and stayed with him for many years before starting her own family. Betty was also Owner and Chief Financial Officer for three (3) large clothing retail outlets—two being as far away as Harriman, TN. She and her daughter, Patty, would spend many long hours on the road purchasing for and restocking the businesses. Betty loved staying busy and instilled in her children that both hard work and dedication pay off in the long run.

After marrying, Betty was able to travel the world with her children, seeing many beautiful destinations—from sailing the Mediterranean in the summers to visiting Greece and France—to seeing the Boston Pops Symphony many times perform their 4 ^th of July Celebration in Boston Harbor. One of her favorite memories was visiting Monaco, where she got to meet and dine with the late Princess Grace Kelly and her husband, Prince Rainier, in their Palace. Betty repeatedly claimed to have lived a wonderfully fulfilling and blessed life.

Betty married her lifelong companion, Alton, in 1977. The two of them were together for almost 40 years. Owning their own plane, with Alton as pilot, they continued to travel the world. They enjoyed bringing the family together for large meals and having big celebrations during the holidays, Betty loved entertaining and being with people. Part of the beauty that defined Betty’s character was that she was equally comfortable at a black-tie event or with her sleeves rolled up with a paint brush in one hand.

Betty and Alton owned and purchased many homes throughout her life. Some they would renovate to “flip” (they were doing this before this term was even a thing), others they would keep as rental properties. There is truly no telling just how many homes they renovated through many years. This was a passion of Betty’s—seeing these homes brought back to life.

Funeral services for Betty S. Smith will be held on Thursday, April 20, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Love Funeral Home with Dr. Ron McKinney officiating. The family will receive friends from 12:00 noon until 2:00 p.m.