Rita Franklin Smith, 66, wife of K.G. Rusty Smith, Jr., died Friday, July 1, 2022 at her vacation home in Garden City.
Rita was born on September 26, 1955 in Rock Hill, SC, daughter of Vera Smith Franklin and the late Wick Franklin.
Rita was a graduate of Lower Richland High School, Midlands Technical College and attended The University of South Carolina. She was member of Lake City First Baptist Church, where she loved teaching vacation bible school. Rita was very active in the Lake City Community, she was Executive Director of Lake City Chamber of Commerce, Coordinator of the Lake City Tobacco Festival, assisted with Meals on Wheels Program, delivering meals to the elderly and was recognized as a Steel Magnolia recipient. Rita taught kindergarten at Lake City First Baptist Church and The Carolina Academy, where she loved all her children as if they were her own. She worked for Hicks Guerry Group, PA and was an administrative assistant for Congressman Robin Tallon.
Rita is survived by her husband of 42 years, K.G. Rusty Smith, Jr; she was the loving mother of two sons, K.G. Smith, III and James Pearson Smith; loving grandmother to her granddaughter, Raylee Smith; mother, Vera Smith Franklin; brother, James Lyn (Shirley) Franklin; brothers-in-law, Charles Clifton (Diane) Smith, Andrew Dickman (Amy) Smith and Webber Wilson (Tracie Chandler) Smith.
Rita was preceded in death by her father and mother-in-law, Karl G. “K.G” Smith, Sr. & Alice Dickman Smith.
A Celebration of Life will be 11:00 AM, Wednesday, July 6, 2022 at Lake City First Baptist Church.
The family will receive friends from 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM, Wednesday, July 6, 2022 at Lake City First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall and following the service at Rita’s Barn, 150 Double R Lane, Lake City, SC 29560.
Memorials may be made to Lake City First Baptist Church, PO Box 820, Lake City, SC 29560 or The Carolina Academy, 351 South Country Club Road, Lake City, SC 29560.
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of Rita F. Smith, please visit our floral store.