William E. Smoot (April 23rd 1926 – May 20 th , 2019)

William (Bill) Smoot was born in Marmet, West Virginia on April 23 rd 1926. He was born third in line of 8 children and was the oldest son. Life during the Great Depression was not easy but Bill said he never felt poor because they were able to feed the family from the food produced on the 4 acre farm and the money his dad made as a laborer.

In January, 1944, at the age of 17, during the height of the World War II, Bill enlisted in the Army Air Corp. He was called up in May of that year after he turned 18. After surviving basic training and intensive specialty training, he was assigned as a radio operator for a flight crew. He was assigned to be the radioman on a B29 as a part of the 462 nd Bombardment Group. Their journey to Tinian Island consisted of a few stops and transfers to various aircraft to their final destination. He was always proud to mention that film star Tyrone Power was their pilot on one of the ferry aircraft.

He and his crew members flew a number of bombing raids over Japan. He was on Tinian Island when the Enola Gay, armed with the first atomic bomb, took off on their mission that eventually ended the war with Japan.

Bill was separated from the Air Force in 1946 and remained in the military as a member of the Air National Guard. Upon getting home from the war, he returned to his home state of West Virginia and was hired by the telephone company as a telephone installer. Like many others returning home, he married his home town sweetheart, Julia Taylor, started a family and quietly went about the business of building a life.

When the Korean conflict broke out, Bill's status was changed and he was once again called back into the service. This time he remained stateside and trained others for service overseas. During that time, he attained the rank of Staff Sergeant. In 1952 his military obligation was fulfilled and he was honorably discharged.

Bill returned to the telephone company and proceeded to move through the ranks from telephone installer and onto the marketing department. When the opportunity came along to learn about electronic accounting machines he jumped

at the chance and eventually worked his way up to Director of Information Systems.

Bill's first wife Julia died in 1974. She left behind Bill and their three grown children, Terry, Rhonda and Tim.

Bill was transferred from C&P Telephone Company-West Virginia to the C&P Telephone Company Headquarters in 1975. In 1976 Bill married Kay (Bissenden) Howell. Bill adopted Kay's son Tillman in 1981.

Bill remained an employee with the phone company until his early retirement at the age of 58 in 1985. It was then that he decided to start a second career in Real Estate. He started with Long & Foster in Maryland and quickly established himself as a leading sales agent for the company.

For the next decade, Bill was glad to be the trailing spouse as they followed his Kay's career, from Maryland to New Jersey and then, in 1996 when Kay accepted a position with a new company, they moved one last time to Woodstock, Georgia. Before the move was even completed, Bill had joined Northside Realty and finally Coldwell Banker when the two companies merged. As it was with all previous transfers, Bill quickly established himself as a Top Producing Realtor for the area. He was awarded the prestigious Phoenix Award for Cherokee County in 2012.

Bill and Kay became parishioners of St. Michael the Archangel in 1996. Bill quickly became an active member in the parish, working to help with the Capital Campaign fund to begin the building of the church. He joined the Knights of Columbus in 1998 and dedicated his efforts to their ideals and activities. He became a 4 th Degree Knight later in that same year and that is when he became a Sir Knight.

In October 2012 Bill was honored to be chosen as one of the WWII vets participating in an Honor Air Flight operation visiting Washington DC. It was the first time Bill had the opportunity to tour the World War II Memorial.

Bill got to know Johnny Isakson through his employment with Northside Realty and on his 86 th birthday, then Senator Johnny Isakson, presented Bill with the American flag that had flown over the US Senate on his birthday in his honor.

In December 2018, at the age of 92, Bill Smoot finally retired from full-time real estate intending to spend more time with his family and working for the church and the Knights. Bill's dedication to St. Michael's was a big part of who he was, as he lived and loved his Catholic faith. Working with the Knights fulfilled his need to be a part of an organization that served others. He met his obligations to the organization to the very end as passed along his responsibilities to other Knights 3 days before his passing.

On May 20 th , 2019, Bill passed peacefully at home with his wife of 43 years by his side.

He leaves behind his wife, Kay Smoot, daughter Rhonda Watkins, son Tillman Smoot, his sister Marge Peco, his brother Charles Smoot, a wonderful group of grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and his nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by two of his sons, Terry and Tim.