Dr. Carl Smith

SMITH, Dr. Carl Anderson

Carl Anderson Smith died peacefully on May 10, in Alexandria, Virginia, at the age of 87. Carl was born on May 1, 1937, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to Arlon and Hazel Smith. While he became a resident of several states throughout his life, in many ways, he was a son of Tennessee and was defined in part by the people, stories, values, and modest upbringing he had there. Like Carl, his father had a restless spirit and often moved the family in search of new surroundings. They eventually settled in Silver Spring, Maryland, where Carl attended and graduated from Montgomery Blair High School in 1955.

A middling high school student with a first-class mind, chance and good fortune led Carl to a summer working as a lifeguard at the Sankaty Head Beach Club in Nantucket where he met captains of industry, starlets, and a motley mix of mentors, friends, and characters. Of the many lessons learned from the hard-working and well-heeled, the importance of a college education was most clear and influenced him to apply to Emory University, which provided him an extraordinary education and lifelong friends. Carl graduated in 1959, Phi Beta Kappa, Chairman of the College's Honor Council, a member of Alpha Tau Omega, and one of seven members of his class selected for the D.V.S. Senior Honor Society – a recognition he never divulged.

A summer spent as an orderly in Chattanooga and an influential cousin tilted him toward his calling as a physician. He attended and graduated from Emory University School of Medicine in 1963. He completed an internship in Madison, Wisconsin, and a residency and fellowship in anesthesia at Emory. Curious about opportunities beyond clinical medicine, he joined the White House Office of Economic Opportunity and spent several years directing health clinics in Appalachia, Alaska, Mississippi, and New York City, where he brought critical medical care to impoverished communities. He followed federal service in 1972 with a position as Vice President with Science Applications International. In 1973, clinical work drew him to Savannah, Georgia where he perfected his craft. Never far from Emory, he returned to Atlanta to chair the anesthesia practice at Crawford Long Hospital from 1975-2000. He ended his career as a member of the Emory Clinic and head of Crawford Long's Outpatient Center. Carl served and was honored as the Chairman of the Atlanta Society of Anesthesiologists and President of the Georgia Society. Carl also served as a delegate to the American Society of Anesthesiologists and was a founding director of MagMutual.

Of the many qualities that defined him – his infectious and complete sense of humor, his warmth and depth, and his caring nature – friends and family will remember Carl as a man of unfailing integrity, generosity, and humility. He touched countless patients, colleagues, and friends with his exceptional dedication, skill, and wise counsel. But it was his family that was his highest priority and greatest joy. It started and ended with the love of his life, Jaye Johnson Smith, who he met and courted at Emory. They married in 1960, and he spent every day until his last, deeply in love and committed to her needs, passions, and comfort. She was his closest friend and confidant, and it brought him the deepest satisfaction to share her exceptional mind and build a family together. His three children and seven grandchildren were his richest pleasure. For each of them, he was Pop, unstinting in his affection and ever-curious with his twinkling deep blue eyes that always had laughter and mischief in them. He celebrated their accomplishments and helped shoulder their challenges. He taught values through example – hard work and complete selflessness. His laugh, kindness, and character will be missed by all who knew and loved him. His hilarious, cherished stories and his storytelling will live on faithfully with his family.

Carl was predeceased by his mother, Hazel Anderson Smith; his father, Daniel Arlon Smith; and his brother, Victor Arlon Smith. He is survived by his wife, Jaye Johnson Smith; his daughters, Blaine Grimes and Laura Morton; and his son, Chip Smith and wife, Hallie. He leaves behind seven exceptional grandchildren, Walker, Cameron, and Hunter Grimes, Olivia and Lucie Morton, and Thacher and Frances Smith.

The family will hold a celebration of life in Alexandria, VA, this summer.