Gary Dean (Boots) Smith, 64, passed away unexpectedly in his home on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020. A lifelong resident of Cherokee, he loved gardening and the outdoors.
Boots is the son of the late Fancheon L. (Snook) Elders of Wildwood, Fla. He is the grandson of the late Charles Smith and the late Elma Arch Smith. He is preceded in death by his son, Kevin B. Smith; sisters, Ernestine Smith Crowe and Nancy Taylor; aunts, Osceola Smith, Wanda Lee (Joe Lou) Bradley, Nancy Smith, and Linda Sue Raby; uncle, Delbert Smith; and two cousins.
He is survived by his wife, Sharon Bradley Smith; four stepchildren, AJ Owle, Tonya Owle, Phillip Pannell, and Cody Pannell; two daughters, Deanna Smith and Becky Chiltoskie; four grandchildren, Joseph Smith, Kayla Smith Garcia, Levi Winstead, and Meli Winstead; four great-grandchildren; sisters, Libba Smith Wolfe and Debra Smith Rameriz; aunts, Connie Cabe, Joan Henry and Rebecca Bridges; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, Aug. 21 at Crisp Funeral Home in Bryson City. Visitation will begin at 1 p.m. followed by the service at 2 p.m. conducted by Pastor Foreman Bradley of the Yellowhill Baptist Church. Interment will follow at the Bethel Cemetery in Cherokee.
Pallbearers are special friend, Allen McCoy, and cousins Terance (Tince) Cabe, Tommy Cabe, Tony Cabe, James Raby, and Dean Bradley.
In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the family requests friends and family to wear face masks.