Arthur Fox Smith, IV

Arthur Fox Smith IV, 72, died July 1, 2018 at his home in Brownsville, Tennessee, where he had lived all his life except for his service in the U. S. Navy during the Vietnam War. Fox moved home to step into the family business, Arthur F. Smith Lumber Company, following his father’s death. Smith Lumber Company, founded in 1926, is one of the oldest businesses in Brownsville, and Fox was the third of four generations of the Smith family to operate the full-service building supply business.

With deep roots in West Tennessee, Fox is the descendant of Richard Benjamin Peeples, the first itinerant Methodist circuit rider to cross the Tennessee River into West Tennessee. Rev. Peeples and his wife Martha Randle reared her orphaned brothers and their sons, many of whom also became Methodist preachers.

He was the son of Arthur F. Smith, III, and Betty Randle Douglass Smith, and had one brother, Willis Douglass Smith, all of whom preceded him in death.

He leaves his wife, Christy Keyes Tate Smith. One daughter and son-in-law, Randle Keyes Smith Bell and Michael Bell; one son and daughter-in-law, Arthur Tate Smith and Amber Anderson Smith; and five grandchildren, Bolton Douglass Smith, Arthur Fox Smith V, Katherine Willis Smith, Vincent Patrick Bell and Burchett Michael Bell.

Fox’s commitment to service and excellence included earning the Eagle Scout award in Boy Scouting, of which he was very proud. After his graduation from Vanderbilt University with a degree in electrical engineering, he graduated from Naval Officer Candidate School in Newport, RI. He was assigned to the U. S. Navy Security Group during his military service and was stationed in Kamiseya, Japan. His Navy base provided vital support to U. S. Forces during the Vietnam War. While living in Japan, he earned a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Hawaii.

Sports and hunting ran deep in Fox’s veins. He was a valued member of the Haywood High School basketball and football teams, and enjoyed baseball and golf. His golf trips to Scotland and England were among his favorite memories. He was an accomplished marksman and skeet shooter and had hoped to travel to his beloved dove hunting ranch in Argentina this summer. After his service in the Navy, he earned his private pilot license and became so enamored of flying that he ventured into homebuilt airplanes.

His first project, a Long EZ, was sold to and completed by the buyer. Because of Fox’s careful structural engineering, it became the fastest of its kind. He was in the process of building an RV7 at his death.

A Memorial Service will be conducted at 11:00 A.M., Thursday, July 5, 2018 in First United Methodist Church. Visitation will be Thursday, July 5, 2018 from 9:30 – 11:00 A.M. at First United Methodist Church, 117 E. Franklin, Brownsville, Tennessee. Graveside services will be held at 2:00 P.M., Thursday, July 5, 2018 in Oakwood Cemetery.  

Never one to be at the center of attention, Fox left this world expressing gratitude to those family members and friends who had surrounded him with love during his illness. He asked that any memorials be sent to the church where he had been a member since his infant baptism: First United Methodist Church, 117 E. Franklin St., Brownsville, Tennessee 38012.