Carter Smith Jr.

Carter Smith, Jr., M.D. died at home on Tuesday, August 23, 2022. He and his twin sister, Pruden, were born December 15, 1933, to Dr. William Carter Smith and Sue Pruden Smith. Carter attended E. Rivers, North Fulton High School and McCallie School, graduating with honors in 1952. He always credited his two years at McCallie School as setting him on the path for his professional life and his success in life. Carter went on to Emory University where he majored in history and was an active member of Kappa Alpha Order and president of his pledge class. He graduated in 1956 and went on to Emory School of Medicine. He met the love of his life, Laura Barkley Walthall, while in medical school, and they married on October 15, 1960, in New York City following his graduation the previous June.

Carter and Laura spent two years in Boston while Carter did his internship at Boston City Hospital followed by an appointment as a cardiac research fellow at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, Harvard Medical School in 1961-62. They then moved to New York City where Carter spent three years at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center for his Internal Medicine residency, one year as an assistant resident in charge of patient care and two years rotating through the subspecialties. He and Laura moved back to Atlanta in June 1965 where he began a second year of cardiac fellowship at Grady Memorial Hospital.

In March 1966, Carter joined the U. S. Army Medical Corps as a captain and served as Chief of Cardiology and Internal Medicine at Ft. Carson, CO Army Hospital for two years. He received the Army Commendation Medal for outstanding medical performance and patient care. In March 1968, Carter and Laura returned to Atlanta where he joined the private practice of Smith, Stone, Neely, Brawner and Burns specializing in the practice of Internal Medicine and Cardiology, and he was on the staff of Piedmont Hospital. Some years later he practiced with Colony Medical Group and Drs. William (Ben) Spearman, Carlos (Al) Stuart and John Carr. He was an active member of the American College of Physicians, American Medical Association, Georgia Heart Association, Medical Associations of Georgia and Atlanta, and the Atlanta Clinical Society. He served as Chairman of the Atlanta Graduate Medical Assembly and President of the Southeastern Clinical Club. He served on the boards of the Atlanta Landmarks/Save the Fox, Lake Rabun Association, Piedmont Hospital Foundation, Shepherd Center Foundation, and he was active in the Inquiry Club, Leadership Atlanta and the Rotary Club of Atlanta.

Carter was passionate about the practice of medicine and was known for the twinkle in his eye and his gentle bedside manner. He was always compassionate and made old-fashioned house calls, carrying on a tradition learned from accompanying his father on house calls in his youth. In addition to his family and friends, Carter was devoted to McCallie School and Emory School of Medicine, spending time and energy as an ambassador in support of both of them. He was awarded the McCallie School Alumni Achievement Award in 2017 and, from Emory School of Medicine Alumni Association, the Award of Honor in 2014 and the Judson C. Ward “Jake’s Golden Heart” Award in 2017. He was instrumental in establishing the Carter Smith, Sr., M. D. Chair of Internal Medicine at Emory School of Medicine as well as the James Edgar Paullin, M. D and Henry Cliff (Jake) Sauls, M. D. Chairs of Internal Medicine. One of his greatest accomplishments was the publication in 2021 of his book The Enduring Legacy of James Edgar Paullin, M. D. honoring these three giants of early Atlanta medicine.

A long-time member of the Homosassa Fishing Club that he had first visited as a boy with his father, he liked nothing better than fishing trips with family and friends as well as spending time on a trout stream. He hunted throughout South Georgia and, with his good friend Ben Spearman, made weekly trips to the Fish Hawk and Chuck’s Firearms in Buckhead. He was extremely proud to be named Buckhead Boy of the Year in 2018.

After retirement, Carter and Laura traveled extensively in Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia and China and, when not traveling, entertained family and friends at their home on Lake Rabun.

He was a devoted husband to Laura, proud and loving father to his daughters, Allison Smith Freeland and Tinsley Carter Smith, and dedicated “Papa” to his beloved grandchildren Brooke Alis Freeland and Carter Lockwood Freeland.

Carter is predeceased by his parents, Sue and Carter Smith, Sr., M. D., his sisters Pruden and Sueanne Smith, and his infant son, Carter Smith III. He is survived by Laura, his wife of 62 years, his daughters Tinsley Carter Smith and Allison Smith Freeland (Jock), his grandchildren Brooke and Carter Freeland and numerous Hopkins and Pittman cousins.

A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, September 23, 2022, at the Cathedral of St. Philip with a reception following for family and friends at the Piedmont Driving Club. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Emory School of Medicine Carter Smith, Sr., M.D. Chair of Internal Medicine (www.together.emory.edu/giving) in memory of Carter Smith, Jr.,M.D.; McCallie School (www.mccallie.org) in memory of Carter Smith, Jr., M.D. Class of 1952; and Shepherd Center Foundation (www.shepherd.org/giving/ways-to-give) in memory of Carter Smith, Jr., M.D.; or a charity of your choice.