William Rawson Smith

William Rawson Smith, 58, of Atlanta, passed away February 19, 2023 from complications of a rare blood disease. Born in Atlanta on July 3, 1964, William was the youngest of Alex W. Smith III's and Betty Haverty Smith's eight children. He attended Christ the King School and Marist School where he was on the golf team. At University of Georgia he majored in English and was a journalist for The Red and Black newspaper, graduating in 1986. He later earned an MBA from Georgia State University.

While in Athens from 1982-1986 he played lead guitar for the rock band The Tragic Dancers, opening for 10,000 Maniacs on a college tour. When the group's equipment was stolen in Athens, another hometown band, R.E.M., played a benefit for them.

William was an exceptional communicator, writer and author of numerous publications, including the book Villa Clare: The Purposeful Life and Timeless Collection of J.J. Haverty, published in 2006 by Mercer University Press. Villa Clare told the history of his great-grandfather and the art he collected, much of which became part of the High Museum.

Early in his career, he worked as a staff writer for Georgia Trend magazine and contributed to The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. He also founded and published an alternative newspaper named Highpoint in the Virginia-Highland neighborhood. Located in an attic above his friend's bookstore in Little Five Points, the newspaper featured politics, arts, music and original cartoons by local artists, and started many careers.

It also became known for a column by "Panorama Ray," the local photographer whose distinctive photos chronicled Cabbagetown culture. It was at this publication that Bill met his wife Amy, also a journalist. After they married, he was hired by The Chicago Sun-Times as a financial reporter, returning to Atlanta to work at CNN Interactive/Cox Media in 1996.

As an executive speechwriter and corporate communications executive his career spanned several of Atlanta's best-known international companies, including The Federal Reserve Bank, UPS and The Coca-Cola Company. Most recently he worked with Lucie Content as Vice President for Strategy and Executive Communication and did media strategy and podcasts for several Atlanta companies.

A lifelong member of the Cathedral of Christ the King and fifth generation Atlanta resident, he was involved in many community organizations. Most recently he served on the board of The Catholic Foundation and The Red and Black newspaper in Athens. A member of McCullough Club and the Piedmont Driving Club, he was a championship tennis player and fierce pickleball competitor, known for being a "consummate gentleman both on and off the court." His golf friendships were also numerous at the both the PDC and the Hendersonville Country Club in Hendersonville, N.C., where he and Amy were renovating a home.

Besides music his passions were history and travel. He traveled with Amy to England in September 2022, and particularly enjoyed visiting historic sites and homes, planning the trip meticulously and driving from the Cotwolds to Kings Lynn for a wedding. He made new friends everywhere he went, from pubs to museums. He was looking forward to a golf trip to Ireland with friends later this year.

Most importantly, he simply loved his family. Known to many in the community as "J.P.'s Dad," "Georgia's Dad," and "Ellery's Dad," he served as coach, Scout dad, mentor and volunteer with humor and generosity. He was unending in his support for his wife of 29 years and their three children. They will miss him beyond measure.

William Rawson Smith is survived by his wife, Amy Bonesteel Smith and their children Jinkinson Payne Smith, Georgia Elizabeth Smith and Ellery Haverty Smith. He is also survived by his siblings Elizabeth Crew (Jim), Clarence Smith (Lamar), Laura Brown (Rick), James Smith (Mary Anne), E. Kendrick Smith (Caryl) and Anthony Smith (Andrea). He is predeceased by his parents Alexander Wyly Smith III and Betty Haverty Smith as well as older brother, Alexander Wyly Smith IV.

The funeral mass will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, February 24 at the Cathedral of Christ the King. He will be laid to rest afterwards with family at Westview Cemetery, arrangements by H.M. Patterson & Son - Oglethorpe. Memorials may be given to the Cathedral of Christ the King (www.CathedralCTK.com/giving) and Marist School (www.Marist.com/giving/ways-to-give).