Garland Smith Obituary

Mr. Garland Smith, "Peno," of 20901 Matoaca Road, Petersburg, Va., entered into eternal rest on Oct. 6, 2008, at his residence.

Garland Smith was a native of Chesterfield, Va. He was born on April 3, 1950, to the late Mr. Tommie Lee Smith Sr. and Mrs. Sarah Harris Smith.

At an early age he confessed Christ and was baptized into the fellowship of Union Grove Baptist Church. He attended the elementary school system in Chesterfield County and attended Peabody High School, Petersburg, Va. While attending Peabody High School, he was a member of the Tri-Cities Boxing Team (Golden Gloves). Garland Smith sang with the Waking Echoes of Chesterfield County. He enlisted in the United States Army where he served until he was discharged with a medical disability. While in the military he was a member of the Second Airborne Rangers in Fort Benning, Ga.

Garland was preceded in death by his wife, Renita Smith, and a brother, Joseph E. Smith.

He leaves to cherish his memory, two sons, Tony Smith of Richmond, Va., and Ricardo Smith of Petersburg, Va.; one stepdaughter, Monaca Gilmore (Terrance) of Rocky Mount, N.C.; one grandson, Jakwon Taylor of Petersburg, Va.; three stepgranddaughters, Maria, Tyria and Monique Gilmore of Rocky Mount, N.C.; two brothers, Tommie Lee Smith Jr. (Carolyn) of Burke, Va., and Norman Smith (Rose) of Petersburg, Va.; two sisters, the Rev. Jean O. Smith and Marianna Smith Montgomery (Kevin) of Petersburg, Va.; three aunts, Mrs. Emma Brown and Mrs. Eudell Harris, both of Petersburg, Va., and Mrs. Mary Freda Harris of New York; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, four devoted cousins, Wayne Harris, Marianna Harris, Donald Lee Harris and Ronald Williams, all of Petersburg, Va., and friends.

A celebration of life will be held at noon Saturday, Oct. 11, 2008, at Union Grove Baptist Church, 19111 Church Road, Petersburg, Va. (Chesterfield); the Rev. Douglas Harris, officiating.

The family will receive friends at 20901 Matoaca Road, Petersburg, Va., and may be contacted by calling (804) 590-3075.

Family members and friends are invited to pay final tribute to Mr. Smith online at www.jmwilkersonsince1874.com and where you may view a video tribute online, at the establishment, or at the church.

Funeral arrangements entrusted to the staff of the J.M. Wilkerson Funeral Establishment Inc., 102 South Ave., Petersburg, Va., (804) 732-8911, www.jmwilkersonsince1874.com.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Progress-Index from Oct. 7 to Oct. 9, 2008.

Memories and Condolences
for Garland Smith

5 Entries

JADA

October 9, 2008

Death can also be a dance.
Each knows by heart its final steps.
A life immersed in pain, perhaps,
Too much controlled by circumstance,
Has but to turn to come to rest.

AMBER LONG

October 9, 2008

A gift's been given in your loved one's name
Through which some bit of good may come of sorrow.
Life is something all of us must borrow,
Returning it, in time, to whence it came.
Pleased be assured that it will be well used,
As every gift that sings of love and light
Will render things less wrong, though never right;
For gifts of morning ought not be refused.

MAURICE

October 9, 2008

I don't understand,
The pain of loss is to much.
Is that why I can't say sorry,
The pain of loss is to much.
I still love him,
The pain of loss is to much.
He gives me pain,
The pain of loss is to much.
I sense in coming,
The pain of loss is to much.
The pain to me,
From him,
The pain of loss is just to much.

HORACE AND ROSA TUCKER

October 9, 2008

Warm Summer Sun

Warm summer sun,
Shine kindly here,
Warm southern wind,
Blow softly here.
Green sod above,
Lie light, lie light.
Good night, dear heart,
Good night, good night.

By Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens)
The Poetry Foundation

Music, when soft voices die

Music, when soft voices die,
Vibrates in the memory—
Odours, when sweet violets sicken,
Live within the sense they quicken.

Rose leaves, when the rose is dead,
Are heaped for the beloved's bed;
And so thy thoughts, when thou art gone,
Love itself shall slumber on.

By Percy Bysshe Shelley
The Poetry Foundation

Remember

Remember me when I am gone away,
Gone far away into the silent land;
When you can no more hold me by the hand,
Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.
Remember me when no more day by day
You tell me of our future that you plann'd:
Only remember me; you understand
It will be late to counsel then or pray.
Yet if you should forget me for a while
And afterwards remember, do not grieve:
For if the darkness and corruption leave
A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,
Better by far you should forget and smile
Than that you should remember and be sad.

By Christina Rossetti