William Thomas Smith

Mr. Smith, formerly of Charlotte, now of Homosassa, FL, died peacefully with his family by him on Saturday June 25th at 80 years of age. He is survived by a large family: his wife Janice Herrin; his five children, Benjamin Thomas of Kannapolis, Bryan Carter of Kannapolis, Barry Erwin (Kelley) of Charlotte, Rebecca Margaret Brown (Mark) of Raleigh, Robert Owen (Laura) of Raleigh; his first wife Margaret Alice Potts of Charlotte; ten grandchildren; and three great grandchildren. Tommy was preceded in death by his sister, Margaret Louise, his brother Sidney Theodore, his daughter Melinda Gail, and his parents Margaret Owen and William Thomas, Sr.

Tommy was born on July 18th, 1930 in High Point, NC. He grew up in the Dilworth area of Charlotte, where he attended Central High School and then UNC-Chapel Hill. In 1951 Tommy married Margaret Alice Potts. He served from 1951-1954 in the Counterintelligence Corps of the US Army in Germany during the Korean War. Tommy was an active member of Woodland Hills Baptist Church in Jackson, MS, where he served as a training union teacher and sang in the choir, and later was a member of Pritchard Memorial Baptist Church in Charlotte.

Tommy was an outstanding business leader in the school photography and yearbook printing business. His career was truly remarkable – he began in high school by mixing chemicals, sweeping floors and working in the mailroom at Delmar Studios and 28 years later in 1974 was named as Delmar’s President and CEO. Tommy’s career included 20 years at School Pictures Inc. in Jackson, MS, Rochester, NY and Fullerton, CA – the last five as President - and 15 years at Delmar Studios in Charlotte as President and CEO. Under Tommy’s direction, Delmar became the leading school pictures company in the nation and remained in that position until he retired in 1998.

Tommy was a member of the Rotary Club, and was an active leader in several photographic and printing trade associations. Tommy was a witty, intelligent, humorous man who loved people and was a true southern gentleman. He enjoyed sports, woodworking, photography and spending time with his family at the beach.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, June 29, 2011 at Harry & Bryant Company, “Chapel in the Oaks”, 500 Providence Rd., Charlotte. The family will receive visitors immediately following the service.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis.

Harry & Bryant Company is serving the family.