Mr. Joel Pierce Smith Sr.

1929 - 2009

The funeral service for Joel Pierce Smith Sr., 80, of Eufaula, will be held Saturday, Aug. 1,, at 11 a.m. at First United Methodist Church in Eufaula with Dr. Al Harbour officiating and burial following in Fairview Cemetery Addition with Chapman Funeral Home of Eufaula directing.
Mr. Smith died Thursday, July 30, at his home.
Born Feb. 13, 1929, in Samson, he was the son of the late Abb Jackson and Rose Drane Sellers Smith.
He was a graduate of Florida State University, where he was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity.
Smith began a newspaper career that spanned five decades in 1953 at The Birmingham News-Post Herald, where he worked in promotion and marketing. He then served as editor of The Geneva Reaper for three years.
In 1958, he moved to Eufaula and was named editor of The Eufaula Tribune where he went into partnership with Col. H.L. Upshaw. He was named publisher the following year. After the untimely death of Col. Upshaw, he continued in partnership with Upshaw's widow, Elizabeth M. Upshaw, until 1974, when he acquired sole ownership of the newspaper. He also edited and published The Cuthbert Times and News Record in Cuthbert, Ga. for many years.
He was a longtime member of First United Methodist Church in Eufaula. Smith wrote local editorials and a personal column, "Candid Comments", in The Tribune for 48 years, winning numerous state and national awards including the APA's Community Service and General Excellence awards among many others.
He promoted his son, Jack Smith, to editor in 1999 but continued writing his column and contributing to the editorial page until the Smith family sold the newspaper to Media General in 2006. He wrote "Candid Comments" for 51 years, including his time in Geneva and at The Tribune, without ever missing a week.
Smith worked alongside his wife, Ann, for many years at The Tribune.
Each was honored with the Alabama Press Association's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004.
Smith was active in the Alabama Press Association and the National Newspaper Association throughout his career and the Georgia Press Association during the years that he owned and operated The Cuthbert Times and News-Record.
He served both the Alabama Press Association and the Alabama Journalism Foundation as president.
He also served on the board of directors for both the APA and the Georgia Press Association and was Alabama State Chairman of the National Newspaper Association for many years, chairing the NNA's Governmental Affairs Conference in Washington, D.C. in 1992.
The Auburn Journalism Advisory Council honored Smith as its Distinguished Alabama Community Journalist in 2006.
Soon after arriving in Eufaula, Smith spurred the reorganization of the Chamber of Commerce and promoted economic development as a number of new industries began to locate in Eufaula.
Concerned by the loss of historic landmarks in Eufaula, Smith began a decades-long crusade for the preservation of Eufaula's architectural heritage early in his career.
He chaired a committee appointed by the mayor to save one of Eufaula's most notable landmarks, the Shorter Mansion, when it was put up for auction.
This action led to the formation of the Eufaula Heritage Association. He advocated the idea of a tour of homes in the newspaper and was instrumental in promoting the first Eufaula Pilgrimage in 1966.
He also served the Eufaula Heritage Association as president and was a charter member of the organization. He played a key role in the State of Alabama's acquisition of Fendall Hall.
As an appointed member of President Nixon's Alabama Cabinet Committee for Education, which was formed to ease the transition to integrated schools, he met with President Nixon in the Oval Office.
Survivors include his wife, Ann Sutton Smith of Eufaula; sons Joel Pierce Smith Jr. (Paige) of Eufaula; Abb Jackson Smith II (Barclay) of Auburn and William Sutton Smith of Washington, D.C.; brothers Abb Jackson Smith Jr. (Mildred), of Geneva; Robert Sellers Smith (June) of Huntsville and Saul Douglas Smith (Janice) of Montgomery; sister Sarah Margaret (John) Price of Montgomery; sister-in-law, Lucille M. Smith of Montgomery; grandchildren Joel Pierce Smith III, William Sellers Smith, Sealy Ann Smith, Sutton Elizabeth Smith, Abb Jackson Smith III and James Manning Smith. He was preceded in death by a brother, Maury Drane Smith.
Active pallbearers include Adam Reeves, Charlie Schaeffer, David Dozier, Robert M. Dixon Jr., Dr. John Hagood, David L. Boyette, Richard F. Boyette and John Price Jr.
Asked to serve as honorary pallbearers are Richard A. Boyette, Dr. Ronald Brown, Robert M. Dixon, Robert C. McElvain, Coach Jack Powell, Mr. Benjamin C. Reeves, Col. Albert Simpson and friends from the Alabama Press Association.
Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church of Eufaula, 101 East Barbour St., Eufaula, AL 36027; Wiregrass Hospice of Eufaula, 831 W. Washington St., Eufaula, AL 36027, or your favorite charity.