Gregory Marvin Smith

Gregory (Greg) Marvin Smith, 61, passed away in his home on May 27th, 2024, just before one of his favorite Deep Run rain showers. He was preceded in death by his father, Emmett Marvin Smith.

Greg is survived by his very lucky wife of 41 years, Sandy Smith; mother, Marie Hill Smith; daughter, Hillary Smith (Aubrey); son, Troy Smith (Olivia Bowler); brother, Johnny Smith (Kim) and sister Rhonda Cowley (David); and two beloved grandchildren, Caidan Smith aka “C-man”, and Miller “little Fate” Smith.

Greg was a loving and attentive husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, and friend. His life was a lesson in how to pay attention to the people and pursuits that truly matter. Whether it was checking in on a friend in need, playing 18 holes with the Kinston Country Club group, or relaxing with Sandy and their adored pup (Robert Earl Keen Smith), Greg deeply believed in spending quality time with others, and his warmth was infectious.

Greg was a steward of his community and our special area of the state. Neighbors will recall him taking his daily walks and picking up litter along the way, and his father and he introduced many to Eastern North Carolina fish stews. He was fiercely proud of where he was from.

Greg never met a microphone he didn’t like. Many of us remember his local concerts, belting out “Pink Cadillac” on stage, serving as “The Voice of the Blue Devils” for South Lenoir ball games, and bopping around when singing his favorite church hymns. He loved nothing more than cracking a good joke, but even a decent joke would do. There was no better sound than the laughter of others.

He was always the life of the party, and his family is happy that after a difficult journey, he can once again feel like himself. He was very, very loved, and he will be missed.

Greg was a lifetime member of the Deep Run Original Free Will Baptist Church, serving as a deacon and as a member of the choir. He was a retired law enforcement officer with the Department of Motor Vehicles and NC State Highway Patrol. Even after retiring he would still often help new parents install car seats. He was proud business owner of Eastern Pavement Marking and Eastern Transportation Consultants, and he literally “made his mark” on numerous businesses in our community.

The family wants to give a special thank you to Dr. Jasmin Jo, Dr. Rima Panchal, and Nurse LeAnne, all of ECU, as well as all the nurses and aides from Gentiva Hospice.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital via www.stjude.org.

Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, May 30th, 2024 at Pink Hill Funeral Home with the Funeral Service held directly after at 7 p.m. Private burial service will happen at a later date.

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