Bobby Ray Smith

Bobby Ray Smith transitioned to his heavenly home on January 5, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. Bobby was born on September 2, 1952 to the late Leslie and Hattie Lee Smith in Nansemond County (Suffolk), Virginia. He was the sixth child born to that union. Bobby was educated in Suffolk Public Schools and graduated from John Yates High School in 1970. At a young age Bobby established his love for church and joined Little Bethel Baptist Church in Suffolk, Virginia. Bobby was a member of Cascade United Methodist Church and Leadership Atlanta Class of 1994. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from Washington and Lee University in 1974 where he was a founding member of the Student Association for Black Unity (SABU) and was a charter member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity chapter on campus. In 1976 he received a Master of Business Administration from Wake Forest University. He began his professional career at Southern Bell in Charlotte, North Carolina and later transferred to Atlanta, Georgia to Bell South, which eventually became AT&T. During his tenure at AT&T Bobby was active in the group known at the time as the Alliance of Black Telecommunications Employees. In addition, he served as a Mentor in the Adopt-A-Student Program through a collaboration with AT&T and Atlanta Public Schools. Bobby was promoted and moved to Basking Ridge, New Jersey for a rotational assignment at AT&T Headquarters from 1981 to 1983. He returned to Atlanta and retired from AT&T as a Senior Manager in Government Affairs. He met and married Blanche Mickle Smith in 1979 and from this union they had one son, Jarrett Wesley Smith. Bobby had an entrepreneurial spirit and was involved in numerous business ventures. He contributed to his community as a volunteer and served as the President of Sandtown Athletic Association where he was instrumental in bringing coed soccer to South Fulton County, and served as a soccer coach. He was honored by Fulton County Parks and Recreation for his outstanding volunteer work. Bobby remained active after his retirement, most recently as President of the Suttles Landing Homeowners Association. He was preceded in death by his brothers Leslie D. Smith, Jr. , Claude Johnson (Ruby), his sister Clarice Gray (William Sr.) and his niece Deborah Johnson. Bobby leaves to cherish his memory his son Jarrett W. Smith of Atlanta, Georgia, his brother Donald Smith, Sr. (Kathy) of Chesapeake, Virginia, his sisters Lois Holloway (Bennie) of Suffolk, Virginia, H. LaRonda Turner (Thomas, Sr.) of Suffolk, Virginia, and Cathy Whitley of Hampton, Virginia, and his brother-in-law William T. Gray, Sr. of St. Louis, Missouri, a host of loving nieces, nephews and other family and friends, and his former wife, Blanche Mickle Smith. A celebration of life will be held at Little Bethel Baptist Church 6533 Everets Rd; Suffolk, Virginia 23434 on Saturday January 14, 2017 at 1pm. Pastor Bernard Thomas Officiating. The Family will receive visitors at the home of his sister Mrs. H. LaRonda Turner 1037 Boundary Drive Suffolk, Virginia 23434. Professional services with dignity have been entrusted to Crocker Funeral Home, Inc. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Bobby Ray Smith, please visit our flower store.