samuel james smitherman
Recently retired Selma
cemeteries superintendent Sam James Smitherman, 79, died Friday, Nov.
17, Montgomery hospital. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday,
Nov. 19, at First Baptist Church with the Rev. John Fain officiating.
Burial will be in New Live Oak Cemetery, Lawrence Funeral Home
directing. The family received visitors from 7-9 p.m. Saturday at the
funeral home.
Smitherman was born May 20, 1921, in Clanton, moving to Selma as a child. He was a graduate of Selma public schools and Marion Military Institute Junior College, which he entered after World War II. His military service was with the Army Air Corps, with duty in the Philippines.
He was associated with the automobile business in Selma for a number of years. On Jan. 2, 1985, he became assistant cemetery superintendent, and in 1989 Smitherman was named superintendent. He retired August 31 of this year.
He is survived by his wife, Allie Clair Crawford Smitherman of Selma; three sons, Sam J. Smitherman Jr., Jack Sidney Smitherman and Allen Craig Smitherman; a sis- ter, Helen S. Dudley; a brother, Joe T. Smitherman; three grandchildren and one great- grandchild.
Pallbearers will be Henry Harris, Bill Porter, Steve Smitherman, Tommy Smitherman, Sam Baynes and Lamar Casey.
Honorary pallbearers will be. members of the adult Sunday School class of First Baptist Church.
Memorial gifts may be made to the American Heart Association or the First Baptist Church Benevolent Fund.
Smitherman was born May 20, 1921, in Clanton, moving to Selma as a child. He was a graduate of Selma public schools and Marion Military Institute Junior College, which he entered after World War II. His military service was with the Army Air Corps, with duty in the Philippines.
He was associated with the automobile business in Selma for a number of years. On Jan. 2, 1985, he became assistant cemetery superintendent, and in 1989 Smitherman was named superintendent. He retired August 31 of this year.
He is survived by his wife, Allie Clair Crawford Smitherman of Selma; three sons, Sam J. Smitherman Jr., Jack Sidney Smitherman and Allen Craig Smitherman; a sis- ter, Helen S. Dudley; a brother, Joe T. Smitherman; three grandchildren and one great- grandchild.
Pallbearers will be Henry Harris, Bill Porter, Steve Smitherman, Tommy Smitherman, Sam Baynes and Lamar Casey.
Honorary pallbearers will be. members of the adult Sunday School class of First Baptist Church.
Memorial gifts may be made to the American Heart Association or the First Baptist Church Benevolent Fund.