SC town’s longest-serving mayor, state agency director dies at 74
Pat G. Smith, former mayor of Springdale and longtime director of the Wil Lou Gray Opportunity School, died Tuesday. He was 74.
A dedicated civic leader, Smith was the longest-serving mayor in Springdale history and, until last month, the director of Wil Lou Gray Opportunity School, a state-operated military-style alternative school in West Columbia for at-risk teenagers.
Smith, who lived in Springdale nearly his entire life, died Tuesday “following months of daunting spinal cord injury rehab,” according to his online obituary.
On Friday, Wil Lou Gray Opportunity School, where Smith had been involved since 1971 and had served as director since 1998, posted an online tribute to its “beloved leader, mentor and friend.”
“Mr. Smith dedicated over 50 years of service to the Wil Lou Gray Opportunity School, leaving behind a legacy rooted in compassion, discipline, and unwavering commitment to shaping young lives,” the post reads. “His impact will forever be etched into the foundation of our school and the hearts of all who knew him.”
In addition to his 29 years as mayor of Springdale and 50-some years at Wil Lou Gray, Smith served as president of the Lexington County Municipal Association; president of the South Carolina Association of Regional Councils; vice chair of the Joint Municipal Water and Sewer Commission; vice chair of the Richland-Lexington Airport District Commission; and member of the State Workforce Development Board, South Carolina Municipal Association, Central Midlands Regional Council of Governments and Central Regional Transit Authority, according to his obituary.
He received numerous awards throughout his career, including the Richard M. Kuffel Award for Excellence in Education and the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest civilian honor.
Smith, who was born in Cairo, Georgia, but moved to Springdale as a young child, was a graduate of Airport High School, Newberry College and the University of South Carolina, where in 2001 he was awarded a master’s in public administration, according to his obituary.
He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Rosalie; his brother, John; and many friends and family members.
A visitation will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Springdale Baptist Church’s Fellowship Hall, with a funeral service to follow at 11 a.m.