Kenneth Roger Smith, 63, of Ringgold, died on Sunday, October 7, 2007 at a local hospital.
A native of Silver City, N.M., he had lived in the North Georgia/Chattanooga area for the past 21 years. Kenneth was a veteran of the U.S. Navy where he served two tours of duty during the Vietnam War. During the war he piloted rescue helicopters and earned a Navy Commendation Medal, Four Strike/Flight Air Medals, Five Bronze Stars, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Korea), Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device, Navy Achievement Medal with Combat “V” and Award Citation.
Over the years he had worked as a ranch hand, a copper miner and a journalist (crime beat reporter for a Tucson newspaper). In 1980 he received an M.F.A. from the University of Arizona. An accomplished writer, he published two collections of short fiction as well as several works of creative non-fiction, the most recent appearing in the Southern Indiana Review and Puerto del Sol. Other writings have appeared in a variety of magazines including The Atlantic, Crazyhorse, Sonora Review and TriQuarterly.
He taught creative writing and literature at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga for the past 20 years.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Benjamin and Thelma Hill Smith.
He is survived by his wife, Madalyn Heidelberg Smith of Ringgold; two sons and daughter-in-law, Timothy and April Trussell-Smith of Chattanooga, and Nicholas Smith of Atlanta; one step-daughter and son-in-law, Ashley Fournet and Domenick Doran of Atlanta; one stepson and daughter-in-law, Sidney and Stephanie Fournet of Chattanooga; one brother, Richard Smith of Woodland Park, Co.; three grandchildren, Victoria Dial, Tristan Fournet and Logan Fournet, all of Chattanooga; and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Friday at Patten Chapel at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with his son Timothy Trussell-Smith officiating the service. Interment will follow at the Chattanooga National Cemetery.
The family will receive friends Wednesday from 5-9 p.m., all day Thursday, and Friday from 8 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. at the funeral home.
Arrangements are by Wilson Funeral Home Wallis-Stewart Chapel Ringgold, Georgia. Online register book at www.wilsonfuneralhome.com.