Ernest Lamar Smith

Ernest Lamar Smith of Florence, MS passed away peacefully at home in his sleep on the morning of November 19, 2024, at the age of 88. Services will be held on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, at Chancellor Funeral Home in Florence. Visitation will be from 10:00 am until 12:00 pm with the service at 12:00 pm and interment to follow at the Florence City Cemetery. 

Lamar was the last of nine children to be born to Ernest and Melville Carter Smith on October 2, 1936, in Tippah County, MS. He graduated from Blue Mountain High School in 1955 and attended Northeast Mississippi Junior College and Mississippi State University, where he graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering in 1959. After graduation, Lamar began working with the State of Mississippi Highway Department in the division of Roadway Design. During his career there he worked his way up to become head of the division in 1982. He retired from the Highway Department in 1990 after 32 years of service. Lamar then worked another 15 years as a consultant for Neel-Schaffer and Michael Baker engineering firms. While working at Michael Baker, he did work in Arkansas and Louisiana, locating alignments for major highways and interstates. 

While many of Lamar’s close family and friends knew of his earlier academic and career accomplishments, most in the community knew him in his later years as the “tomato man!” Even though he retired from his career, he always kept busy working outside and learned the secret of growing good tomatoes. In 2016 he sold over 6,000 pounds of tomatoes to friends and neighbors, and even supplied green tomatoes to Berry’s Seafood. 

Another major accomplishment happened during the start of his career at the Highway Department when Lamar met a pretty young lady named Peggy McDaniel, who also worked in the Woolfolk Building. They married on December 16, 1961, and were married for almost 63 years. Lamar and Peggy faithfully attended First Baptist Church of Florence from 1965 to present day. 

Lamar is survived by his wife, Peggy; three children, Kevin Smith (Lisa) of Nashville, TN, Kathy Reed (Steven) of Ridgeland, MS, and Karen Loden (Jeremy) of Brandon, MS; six grandchildren – Brandon Smith, Brian Reed (Mary Jayne), Claire Reed, Conner Loden, Hannah Loden, and Jase Loden; and a host of nieces and nephews. Lamar was preceded in death by his parents and siblings – Leone Kent, Palmer Smith, Joe Smith, Arlena Hasel, Mary Ruth Brew, JC Smith, Jesse Graham, and Bernell Smith. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church, Florence Food Pantry or Blue Mountain Christian University, PO Box 160, Blue Mountain, MS 38610.