Carlton "Ben" Smith

Carlton "Ben" Smith was born April 28, 1953 in Fitzgerald, Georgia. He was one of eleven children born to the late William Carlton (Bill) Smith and Marcelle Hunter Smith. He graduated from Fitzgerald High School in 1971, and was the recipient of many top honors in his senior year. As a proud Navy veteran, he served for 8 years aboard nuclear submarines, dedicating his time to protecting his country beneath the seas. He returned to Georgia where he began his career at General Physics and soon was hired at Southern Company for the remainder of his employment. Ben retired from Southern Company in 2016. He lived most of his life in Lyons, GA and later moved to Statesboro to be closer to his daughter and grandchildren.
He loved spending time with his Grandchildren. He would spend countless hours with them teaching them skills, telling them stories of when he was a little boy growing up in South Georgia, and cheering both kids on at their respective activities.
Besides spending time with his Grandchildren, Ben enjoyed Camping Life. He never met a stranger and strangers always ended up becoming friends. His gift of gab left lasting impressions on every person he met.
Ben was a skilled carpenter. His daddy taught him this valuable skill as a young child/ young adult. There's nothing he could not build. His eye and attention to detail was impeccable. When he wasn't busy exploring campgrounds, Ben enjoyed working in his yard and spending time with his family.
Those left to cherish his memory are his beloved wife: Glenda Clifton Smith; a daughter: Nina (Charles) Townsend and two grandchildren: the loves of his life, Charlie and Emma-Charles of Statesboro, GA ; siblings: Juanita Gatch of Charleston, South Carolina, Jackie Walston of Foxfield, Colorado, Ward Smith of St Petersburg, Florida, Mabel (Perry) Stallings of Raleigh, North Carolina, Kenneth (Marcia) Smith of Snellville, Georgia, Alice (Billy) Prescott of Fitzgerald, Georgia, Rhonda (Robert) Pridgen of Wray, Georgia; a sister-in-law: Ginny Smith of Lexington, South Carolina, a brother-in-law: Steve Reed of Macon, Georgia, along with many nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by brothers: Matthew Smith and Ralph Smith; and a sister, Dorothy Reed, brother in law Tim Walston. He will be missed, also, by his fur babies: Izzy, Gidget, Smudge and his Grand Dog Gizmo.
The family will receive visitors on Friday from 10:00am until 11:00am at Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home in Statesboro. A graveside service with military honors will follow at Clifton Family Cemetery in Lyons, GA.
To honor his memory, donations may be made to the Tunnels to Towers Foundation or to a local Animal Shelter, both causes close to his heart.
Tunnel to Towers: www.t2t.org 2361 Hylan Blvd Staten Island, NY 10306
Friends may sign the online register book at www.joineranderson.com
Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home & Crematory is in charge of arrangements. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Carlton "Ben" Smith, please visit our floral store.