Harry Leslie Smith of Greenwood died Tuesday, January 12, 2016, at his home with his family at his side.
He was born December 9, 1940, in Jackson to Harry Leslie Smith Sr. and Elisabeth Teat Smith, who preceded him in death.
He was a 1958 graduate of Murrah High School and, following his graduation from the University of Mississippi in 1962, he enlisted in the U.S. Army. He later graduated from the School of Banking of the South at Louisiana State University and taught credit and finance to community college students.
In 1968, he married May Perry DeLoach Smith of Greenwood.
After banking in Jackson for 10 years, he moved to Greenwood and became president of DeLoach's, a ladies' department store.
He was elected mayor of Greenwood in 1993 and served in that capacity for 13 years. During that time, more than 40 miles of city streets were improved. Other major public projects during his term include the Keesler Bridge renovation, the rail relocation project and the construction of Sgt. John A. Pittman Drive and the No. 3 Fire Station. He founded Greenwood Leflore Together, a race relations program that won the highest state award from the Mississippi Economic Council.
He was a member of the Mississippi Municipal League, where he served on the board of directors for 12 years and on the executive committee and as finance chairman. As a National League of Cities member, he served on the board of directors and advisory council. He was a chairman of the Mississippi Republican Mayors Association, and he served as national chairman for the state intergovernmental relations committee and board of directors of the Republican Mayors and Local
Officials organization.
Harry's civic endeavors also included serving as president of the Greenwood Leflore County Chamber of Commerce, director of the Mississippi Retail Merchants Association, director and finance chairman of Greater Greenwood Foundation of the Arts and as a member of the Greenwood Leflore Carroll Economic Development Foundation, Main Street Greenwood and the Veterans Monument Committee.
In the Greenwood Rotary Club, he was a Paul Harris Fellow and was named Rotarian of the Year in 2006. He was a member of the University of Mississippi Alumni Association and chairman and sponsor chairman for the Leflore County Ducks Unlimited. He was a life member of the National Rifle Association.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by a daughter, Laura Ann Smith Mullins, and her husband, William Alan Mullins, both of Vienna, Va.; a son, Wesley DeLoach Smith, and his wife, Laura Hough Smith, both of Greenville; five grandchildren, Chaney DeLoach Mullins, William Henry Anderson Mullins and Perry Alice Mullins, all of Vienna, and Laura Lucille Smith and Marilyn Finley Smith, both of Greenville; one sister, Loraine Bethany, and her husband, Kye Bethany, both of Madison; one niece, Kate Campbell, and her husband, John Campbell, both of Madison; one great-niece, Caroline
Campbell, and one great-nephew, Gordon Campbell, both of Madison; and one cousin, Tom Crockett of Jackson.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a niece, Adele Bethany Kette.
Honorary pallbearers will be Will Redditt, Frank Abbott, Jimmy Abbott, Jim DeLoach, Richard Moss, Luke Schissel, Bardin Redditt, Rick Redditt, Steve Lary, Stephen Lary, Ed Johnson and Mickey Black.
Visitation will be from 1 p.m. until the time of service at 2:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 15, 2016 at Episcopal Church of the Nativity in Greenwood. Wilson & Knight Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Memorial donations may be made to the Leflore County Humane Society, 601 Lone St., Greenwood, MS, 38930; Church of the Nativity, 400 Howard St., Greenwood, MS, 38930, or a charity of the donor's choosing.