Billy Smith, Sr

passed away Tuesday, November 20, 2007 at the age of 87. Billy was born in Pineview, Wilcox County, Georgia. During his life, he lived in Massapequa Park, NY, Pitman, NJ, Beavercreek, OH, and finally, Vestavia Hills, AL for 40 years. Billy attended Berry College in Rome, Georgia, where he met his loving wife, Miriam. After their wedding in Greenville, SC, Billy moved to Long Island, New York where he worked for Ford Instrument Company. World War II, called and he served in the U.S. Navy until 1946. After his discharge, he went to work for Fairchild Instrument and Camera Corporation, again on Long Island, where he was Manager of Systems, Procedures, and Data Processing. While there Billy founded the Fairchild Camera Employee Credit Union, and was elected President of all credit unions on Long Island, NY. In 1957, Billy took a position of Corporate Computer Consultant with RCA, in Camden, NJ. His computer experience led him to a position with McCall's Magazine in Dayton, OH in 1960 as a Computer Staff Engineer. In 1966, the Smith family moved to Vestavia Hills due to Billy's position as Data Processing Manager with Progressive Farmer Corporation. Seeing a need for an outside computer service bureau, he and Carl Murray formed Akra-Data Corporation, which then led to Smith-Murray and Associates. Billy retired in 1982. He was very active in his community wherever he lived, but especially in Vestavia Hills. A member of the Vestavia Hills Exchange Club, he served as President and as a District Director. Always searching for ways to help the community, he founded the Dogwood Festival Parade in Vestavia Hills in the 1980's. The program "Nosey Neighbors", still used in Vestavia Hills was one of his efforts to help reduce crime. Billy was also a founder and president of the Vestavia Hills Senior Citizens Association. Through this organization, he helped found the Senior Citizens Transportation Program and was one of those behind the building of the Lodge in Vestavia Hills for the utilization of community senior citizens. Billy was also the founder of the Vestavia Ford Festival. In honor of his dedication to the community, he was nominated for Citizen of the Year in Vestavia Hills twice and was selected as such in 1997. He was twice honored with Bill Smith Day in the City. Other honors for Billy included his selections as a Board Member of Jefferson County's Office of Senior Citizens Affairs and induction into the Alabama Senior Citizens Hall of Fame. Never forgetting Berry College, Billy founded the Berry-Ford Festival and the annual Alumni Work Week. He was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award for Berry Schools and the President's Award. Billy was preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Miriam Coleman Smith, sisters Edrie King and Ruby Parnham, brother Joe Fred Smith. He is survived by his son, Billy Smith, Jr., of Las Vegas, NV, and daughter, Peggy Ratliff, of Vestavia Hills, grandsons, Chris Smith and Scott Smith, and great grandson, Bridger Smith all of Sparks, NV, and granddaughters, Meg Ratliff and Anna Ratliff, also of Vestavia Hills. Visitation will be Monday, November 26, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Currie-Jefferson Funeral Home, Hwy. 150, Hoover. Funeral service will follow at 1:00 p.m. in the funeral home chapel. Interment will be in Jefferson Memorial Gardens, South. Please make any donations to Alzheimer's of Central Alabama, or any Alzheimer's association.