Blanche Ellen Smith

Blanche Ellen Darr Smith (Mrs. William Wannamaker Smith), age 86, died at Hospice in Savannah, Georgia, on Thursday, October 31, 2013, with her children and two of her granddaughters with her in her final hours. Mrs. Smith was preceded in death by her husband, William (Billy) W. Smith.

Born in 1926 in Sumter, South Carolina to the late Rev. Joseph Haynsworth Darr and Ruby Passailaigue Darr, Mrs. Smith was the eldest of three sisters. She attended Blue Mountain College in Mississippi, graduating in 1948 with a degree in music and piano. She declined a graduate position at Harvard to accept a call as organist to the Methodist Church in Conway, South Carolina. There, she met Billy Smith, a recent graduate of The Citadel, who was working for the South Carolina Highway Department. Mr. and Mrs. Smith married on December 16, 1950 and lived in Charleston, South Carolina for their entire married life.

Shortly after moving to Charleston, Mrs. Smith embraced the role of organist at the First Baptist Church, and she continued serving this church through her music ministry for over fifty years. Mrs. Smith was also offered teaching positions at Ashley Hall and the newly established First Baptist Church School. Under the strong, Christian leadership of Dr. John A. Hamrick, Mrs. Smith chose to devote her career to teaching and mentoring students at the First Baptist Church School. Six and even sometimes seven days a week, she could be found at the piano in her "teaching room" or at the organ in the church at First Baptist. She loved each and every one of her pupils, many of whom have pursued successful and rewarding careers in piano. Her piano recitals became important annual events, filled with beautiful classical music by Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Debussy, Schumann, Rachmaninoff, and Grieg, as well as contemporary and patriotic classics. Her strong, Christian faith permeated everything she did and lifted many friends, students, and family into God's love during difficult times.

A beloved Christian Wife, Mother, Sister, Sister-in-Law, Aunt, Mentor, Teacher, Best Friend, and Musician, Mrs. Smith is survived by her two daughters and a son and their families, who will daily miss her loving, caring touch: Gwen Smith McKee and Dr. Thomas W. McKee of Savannah, Georgia, Mary Jo Smith Spence and Stephen B. Smith of Roswell, Georgia, and William Darr Smith and Gena Smith of Atlanta, Georgia. She is also survived by a sister, Mrs. James P. Hahn of Knoxville, Tennessee; a brother-in-law, Edward L. Smith of Columbia, South Carolina; a sister-in-law, Sarah Margaret Smith Dubose of Summerville, South Carolina; seven grandchildren: Mary Ellen McKee of Savannah, Georgia, Thomas W. McKee, Jr. of Atlanta, Georgia, William (Billy) Kelly McKee of Athens, Georgia, Mary Margaret Spence Beaty and Daniel Evan Beaty of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Paige Elise Spence of Portland, Oregon, William Darr Smith, Jr. and Hunter Hamilton Smith of Atlanta, Georgia; three nephews and four nieces.

Mrs. Smith is predeceased by her parents, her husband and her sister, Mary Sue Darr Loveland, of Bridgeton, New Jersey.

The family will receive visitors on Sunday, November 3rd, from 3:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. at J. HENRY STUHR, INC., DOWNTOWN CHAPEL, 232 Calhoun Street, Charleston, South Carolina. The funeral service will be at 2:30 p.m. on Monday, November 4th, at First Baptist Church, 48 Meeting Street, Charleston, South Carolina. Burial will be at Live Oak Memorial Gardens for family and close friends immediately following the service. Pallbearers will be Dr. Thomas W. McKee, William Kelly McKee, Thomas W. McKee, Jr., Stephen B. Spence, Daniel Evan Beaty, Richard P. Loveland, Jr., James Paul Hahn III, William Darr Smith, Jr. and Hunter Hamilton Smith.

The family requests memorials be sent to the newly established Blanche Ellen Darr Smith Fine Arts Scholarship at First Baptist Church School, 48 Meeting Street, Charleston, South Carolina, 29401; the Music Fund at First Baptist Church, 48 Meeting Street, Charleston, South Carolina 29401, or the Music Fund at First Presbyterian Church, 520 Washington Avenue, Savannah, Georgia, 31405; or the French Huguenot Society, 138 Logan Street, Charleston, South Carolina, 29401.