Watt Elias Smith, II

Watt Elias Smith II, 83, died Wednesday, September 20, 2017 in Spartanburg, SC.  Watt was born on September 16, 1934 in Sandersville, GA, the son of the late Talley Elias Smith and Sarah Neal Smith. He moved to Rowesville, SC as an infant where he began his schooling before transferring to Orangeburg City Schools.  He graduated from Orangeburg High School in 1952, Clemson University with high honors in 1956, where he was a member of Alpha Zeta and Phi Kappa Phi, and the Stonier Graduate School of Banking in 1970.   He and Nancy King Barron were married in 1957 in Columbia, SC.  Watt and Nan lived in Orangeburg County for 58 years before moving to Summit Hills Retirement Community in Spartanburg, SC in 2015.    Following college, Watt served in the United States Army Signal Corp serving at Fort Monmouth, NJ before returning to Rowesville to farm with his father and grandfather.  In the early 1960s he began a career in banking starting with Orangeburg Bank and Trust.  In the late 1970s, he started his own bookkeeping and tax preparation business, which he ran until his retirement in 2014.  He was a Certified Financial Planner and Enrolled Agent.  Watt was an active member of the Church of the Redeemer throughout his life, serving as Junior Warden and as Treasurer for 27 years.  He was a former member of Rotary International, the Thalian Club, and Board of Trustees of Willington Academy. In addition to his wife Nan, Watt is survived by their son Watt E. Smith III and his wife Debra “Debbie” Eeds Smith of Charlotte, NC;  daughter Nancy Smith Gage and husband Theodore “Ted” Wannamaker Gage, Jr. of Spartanburg, SC; grandchildren Paula Smith Enwall of Charlotte, NC, Talley Cole Smith and wife Virginia “Ginny” Nethery Smith of Charlotte, NC, and  Nancy Harrison Gage of College Park, MD; and great-grandchildren Samantha "Sammie" Coleen Smith and Holden Perry Smith of Charlotte, NC; sister Talley Smith Wannamaker of Saluda, NC; sister-in-law Daisy Barron Leland and husband Aaron W. Leland of Wadmalaw Island, SC; and four nieces and one nephew and their families.  He was predeceased by his parents and his brother-in-law Wesley Keitt Wannamaker. The family will receive friends from 5:00-7:00 PM on Friday, September 22, 2017, at the home of his daughter. A funeral service will be held in the Senate Room at Summit Hills Retirement Community, 100 Summit Hills Drive, Spartanburg, SC 29307 at 11:00am Saturday, September 23, 2017.  Immediately following the service, the family will receive friends in the Kennedy Room at Summit Hills until noon.  The inurnment will be at the Church of the Redeemer Columbarium, 1606 Russell Street, Orangeburg, SC 29115 at 4:00pm Saturday, September 23, 2017. In remembrance of Watt, memorials may be made to the Church of the Redeemer, 1606 Russell Street, Orangeburg, SC 29115.