Gerald Smith

On Monday, April 26, 2021, Gerald Smith passed away. The son of Abe and Louise Lichtenstein Smith, he graduated from Spartanburg High School in 1953 and in 1957 he earned a BS from the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia. Any given Sunday, one could find him in his arm chair watching sports, especially golf, and streaming his grandchildren’s events. Gerald had a true entrepreneurial spirit. He enjoyed starting businesses and serving as a mentor to other aspiring business owners. He grew his family business of Spartanburg Loan Company into Smith Music, Express Music and Pawnshops of America, and in his later years, started Magnolia Financial. A lifelong member of Temple B’nai Israel, he was a former chair of the Cemetery committee, where he was instrumental in giving the Jewish section of Greenlawn Cemetery a much needed facelift. He also lent his considerable mind for business and finance to community organizations, serving on the YMCA board, Whites Mill Property Owners Association and as Chair of the school board for Spartanburg District 7. Professionally, he was a founding member of the National Pawnbrokers Association and President of the South Carolina Pawnbrokers Association. Gerald was a man who treated people well and was overly generous. Friends remember him for his guidance, wisdom, caring, and most of all for his humor. Of all his accomplishments, Gerald was most proud of his four boys. He never missed any events, sports or otherwise, and instilled in all of them his strong work ethic. Gerald was preceded in death by his parents; and his aunt, Pauline Lichtenstein Smith. He is survived by his beloved wife of 51 years, Mary Helen Watkins Smith; his sons, Louis Smith (Carter) of Spartanburg, Geoffrey Smith (Lois) of Mt. Pleasant, SC, Brian Smith (Audrey) of Winston-Salem, NC, and Marc Smith (Michelle) of Simpsonville, SC; and eleven grandchildren, Kathleen Smith, of New York, NY, Ben Smith, of Atlanta, GA, Keller McCall Smith, of Aspen, CO, Coleman Smith and Carson Smith, of Mt. Pleasant, SC, Hannah Smith, Sarah Smith, Jacob Smith and Caleb Smith, of Winston – Salem, SC, and Connor Smith and Joel Smith of Simpsonville, SC. He is also survived by his sister, Faye Smith Greenstein, of Henderson, NV; and nieces Stephanie Greenstein and Melanie Greenstein Tarbush. Graveside services will be held Wednesday, April 28th, 4:00PM in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens. Memorials may be made to the Temple B’nai Israel Cemetery Fund, 146 Heywood Avenue, Spartanburg, SC 29302. The family is at the home.