Gary Dean (Boots) Smith, 64, passed away unexpectedly in his home on August 18, 2020. A lifelong resident of Cherokee, North Carolina, he loved gardening and the outdoors.
Boots is the son of the late Fancheon L. (Snook) Elders of Wildwood, Florida. He is the grandson of the late Charles Smith and the late Elma Arch Smith. He is preceded in death by his son, Kevin B. Smith; sisters Ernestine Smith Crowe and Nancy Taylor; aunts Osceola Smith, Wanda Lee (Joe Lou) Bradley, Nancy Smith and Linda Sue Raby; uncle Delbert Smith; and two cousins.
He is survived by his wife, Sharon Bradley Smith, four stepchildren AJ Owle, Tonya Owle, Phillip Pannell and Cody Pannell; two daughters, Deanna Smith and Becky Chiltoskie; four grandchildren Joseph Smith, Kayla Smith Garcia, Levi Winstead and Meli Winstead, and, four great-grandchildren; sisters Libba Smith Wolfe and Debra Smith Rameriz; aunts Connie Cabe, Joan Henry and Rebecca Bridges; and, several nieces, nephews and cousins.
Funeral services were held on Friday, August 21, 2020 at Crisp Funeral Home in Bryson City, North Carolina. Visitation was at 1 pm followed by the service at 2 pm conducted by Pastor Foreman Bradley of the Yellowhill Baptist Church. Interment followed at the Bethel Cemetery in Cherokee, North Carolina.
Pallbearers were special friend, Allen McCoy, and cousins Terance (Tince) Cabe, Tommy Cabe, Tony Cabe, James Raby, and Dean Bradley.
In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the family requested friends and family to wear face masks.