Kenneth Arthur Smith

Ken Smith would balk at the idea that he embodied the essence of a “renaissance man;” in fact, he would strongly object to it. He would, however, be wrong, and that’s okay. No man is perfect, but in many ways Ken was pretty darn close, and his loss is achingly mourned by friends and family across the country. Ken passed away on August 10, 2023 after a short, valiant, in-the-trenches battle with colon cancer.

Ken loved to learn and in addition to his public life as a Certified Public Accountant and accounting software consultant, Ken taught himself to build computers, master the BBQ smoker and the grill, renovate properties, maintain his favorite BMW M-series cars, dominate online gamers, and appreciate really good Scotch. Many of his fellow Georgians, though, knew him through his biggest passion: raising his two beautiful daughters and seeing them grow in their softball careers.

Ken was a central part of Team Smith that featured wife, Kathryn Hackney Smith (affectionately known as “Softball Kat”), and teenage daughters Cecelia Grace (Cece), 18, and Charlotte Suzanne, 16. Their family softball odyssey started at Northside Youth Organization (NYO) at Chastain Park in 2012, and together they visited more softball fields in the states of Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Indiana, California, Virginia, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., than any other family on record! Ken embraced the softball world with gusto, and he was always researching new training techniques and equipment to help his budding softball players improve their games. Improve they did – when the girls wanted to learn to pitch, Ken devoted hours to softball message boards, You Tube videos, and published articles to learn about form, motion, and hand grips. When the girls started to excel on the mound, Ken became the designated catcher for pitching lessons (mom Kat got hit one too many times) and had to don shin guards to protect his legs from the increasingly fast softballs that were hurled at him every week. The girls quickly graduated to the highest level of travel softball, and Team Smith went on the road year-round with their teams, Cece playing for EC Bullets Bilz and Charlotte playing for Atlanta Vipers 16U Gold Tamborra. Ken was always to be found behind the backstop, watching the action and cheering nonstop for his girls and their softball friends. The results of his diligent work are that Cece is headed off to pitch for The George Washington University this fall, and Charlotte is beginning her third year as a Varsity starter for North Atlanta High School, having already been named Region Pitcher of the Year as a Freshman.

Ken’s roles in the softball world were not limited to his own players: true to form, Ken wore more hats at softball games than Marshall Dillon. He was the unofficial team photographer for countless years who would deliver no less than 300 pictures after every game, and he always made sure that every girl had multiple images (perhaps embracing that inner accountant that was always there). He was a coach for many years at NYO. He kept the softball book on GameChanger. When his dad was no longer able to come and watch his granddaughters play softball, Ken figured out how to record games for him, and later he expanded his talents to broadcasting games over the internet so that his mom and siblings, his in-laws. and other team families could watch the games. He was the guy who always brought a tent, chairs, coolers of water, battery-powered fans, and snacks. He ran the scoreboard. And he always had his trusty wagon that hauled everything around.

Ken Smith was born in Portland, Oregon to parents David Taylor Smith, Jr. (1940 – 2017), and Barbara JoAnne Shockley Smith. Before Ken became the ultimate Softball Dad and Husband, he was a block of granite as an offensive lineman for Hattiesburg High School in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. After high school, Ken attended Mississippi State University where he secured his accounting degree in 1991. Ken met his beloved Kathryn in 1995 on St. Simons Island, and their hearts never really left the island even after they moved to Atlanta for work in 2000. The union of the K’s, Ken and Kathryn, was only fitting because K’s would soon become a huge part of their lives (for those who do not live in softball world or follow baseball, “K” is parlance for a strikeout).

Ken is also survived by mom Barbara, who currently resides on St. Simons Island; younger sister Alicia Smith Karell and her husband Erik Karell, both of Detroit, Michigan; older brother David Taylor Smith, III, his wife Jill Smith, and children Taylor, Daniel and Delaney, all of Greenville, South Carolina; in-laws Olin Hackney and Susan Ward Hackney, both of Cedartown, Georgia; siblings-in-law Stewart Hackney and Mandy Jackson Hackney, and their children Jackson and Cole, all of Dacula, Georgia; and many much loved aunts, uncles and cousins. Ken was part of a very large extended family – he had 33 first cousins on his mother’s side and 3 first cousins on his father’s side – and was the grandson of Benjamin Arthur (“B.A.”) Shockley and Suzanne Hattaway Shockley of Apalachee, Georgia, and David Taylor Smith, Sr., and Grace Hinson Smith of Fort Gaines, Georgia.

Ken was a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church, and there will be a memorial service for Ken on Sunday, August 13, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. at Peachtree Road United Methodist Church, 3180 Peachtree Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30305. A reception will immediately follow in Grace Hall, also at Peachtree Road UMC.

In lieu of flowers, the Smith family would like donations made to the Northside Youth Organization (NYO). The funds will go towards a memorial in Ken’s honor and to support the youth softball program. Donations can be made by check or online.

Checks made payable to Northside Youth Organization and mailed to P.O. Box 420486 Atlanta, GA 30342.

Online donations can by made on NYO’s website at the link below using the “Donate” tab. In the memo section, please mention the Ken Smith Memorial Fund.

https://www.nyosports.com/Default.aspx?tabid=2533333