- Date Of Birth: October 14, 2023
- Date Of Death: October 27, 2018
- State: Georgia
Grady Haskel Smith Sr – October 14, 2023 – October 27, 2018. Grady Haskel Smith Sr., a member of the famed 101st Airborne Division in World War II, left this world and stepped into heaven on the 24th of October 2018 just 10 days after his 95th birthday. Grady began his journey in this world in rural Murray County, Georgia where he was born to parents Russell and Myrtle Smith. Grady spent his early days on the farm working with his dad and older brother and sister Fred and Catherin. Grady had many entertaining stories about what life was like in those days even before the family had electricity, running water, or an in house bathroom. As a 19 year old, Grady took the lessons of hard work he learned on the farm and applied them to Army life during WWII. After attending Basic training, Grady was shipped to England to await the invasion of France by Allied Forces. Being a tough and scrappy farm boy, Grady ended up joining the 101st Airborne. He was a member of the 501 St Parachute Infantry Regiment that jumped into France in the early morning hours of June 6, 1944. Grady ultimately participated in all of the major battles with the 101st to include D-Day, Operation Market Garden, and Battle of the Bulge which was a major turning point of the Allies push to defeat the Germans. He stayed with the 101st through clean up operations after the Victory in Europe had been declared. After the war Grady returned home where he continued to help his family on the farm until he picked up the occupation of truck driving. He always loved the big heavy equipment, big tractor trailers, and pickup trucks. After a few years of over the road truck driving, he decided to settle down and stay nearer to home and started his own construction business. Over the next 40 years or so, Grady had many business ventures in the heavy equipment industry in which he was quite successful. Grady owned and operated his own bulldozer and tractor trailer into his early 80’s before he decided to retire. Even after Grady stopped operating the big rigs, he was still able to stay active mowing his own lawn and driving his pickup. He had his license renewed at 94 years old and less than 10 days before Grady passed he had gone a drive. Grady spent the last several years with his daughter Patricia in Dalton Georgia and the last year in Crestview Florida with his son Grady Jr. He never met a stranger, lived joyful, loved his children, grand/great children, with all of his heart and he will be sorely missed by them all. Grady was preceded in death by his father Russell, mother Myrtle, sister Catherin, and brother Fred. Grady is survived by his sons and daughters Ralph Smith of Dalton Georgia, Lamar Smith of Diboll Texas, Sandra Rains of Diboll Texas, Ronnie Smith of Cleveland Tennessee, Patricia Henson of Dalton Georgia, and Grady Smith Jr. of Crestview Florida and many grand and great grandchildren.
