B. Campbell Smoot Jr. of Tullahoma died Tuesday, Nov. 18, at his residence at the age of 78.
Mr. Smoot was born in Memphis in 1936 to the late B. Campbell Smoot Sr. and Johnnie Walker Smoot. He served in the United States Army, 11th Airborne Division, between 1955-58 where he was recognized as a qualified parachutist.
He then served in the Tennessee National Guard between 1958-1960. He earned his bachelor of science degree in forestry from Auburn University in 1963, and went on to earn his master's degree in wood tech 1965. He was an instructor for Auburn University Department of Forestry from 1964-1965 and obtained his doctor of jurisprudence at the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1972.
He worked as an assistant district attorney general from 1973-1974 and engaged in private practice from 1973-89. Mr. Smoot was appointed by the governor in 1989 to serve the citizens of Coffee County with distinction as public defender. In 1990, he was elected to serve the citizens of Coffee County for an eight-year term, and in 1998, 2006, and 2014, was re-elected by the citizens to continue serving as public defender for the 14th Judicial District. He was recognized as a leader by his peers and colleagues.
Throughout his exemplary tenure as president of the Tennessee District Public Defender's Conference, Mr. Smoot distinguished himself as a public-spirited citizen of the highest order and as an exceptional asset to the state of Tennessee. He had recently concluded his second tenure as the president of the conference, having also served as vice president, secretary-treasurer, as well as other notable committees for the conference, and was currently serving as a member of the Executive Committee. He had served on the Tennessee Bar Association Board of Governors and was a member of the Coffee County Bar Association. Throughout his estimable career, he demonstrated the utmost professionalism, ability, and integrity, winning the unbridled respect and admiration of members of the bar, bench, law enforcement and his community alike.
Mr. Smoot was also a licensed surveyor since 1965. He was a Christian, and a member of the Church of Christ. He was most grateful for the love and companionship he shared with his wife Judy, his four children, and 10 grandchildren.
Mr. Smoot is survived by his wife Judy Smoot of Tullahoma; three daughters, Gwen Williams and her husband David of Mt. Juliet, Mandy Meehan and her husband John of Conway, Arkansas, and Mary Carolyn Nance and her husband Brook of Murfreesboro; one son, B. Campbell Smoot III of Columbia, S.C.; one sister, Kathy Smoot Kemezis of McMinnville; nine grandchildren, Mitch, Tyler, Jackson, Logan, Nicholas, Tanner, Ellie Jane, Chance, and Natalie; and one great-grandson, Ryder.
Funeral services will be held Sunday, Nov. 23, at 1:30 p.m. at Kilgore Funeral Home Chapel in Tullahoma with longtime friend Dr. Neil Schultz officiating. Burial with military honors will follow at Rose Hill Memorial Gardens in Tullahoma.
Southern Standard
(McMinnville, Tenn.) Nov. 23, 2014