Durwood Ellsworth Smith

Durwood Ellsworth Smith, 85, of Decatur, died at Hospice Atlanta March 7, 2007.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Linton John Smith and Betsey Brantley Smith.  He is survived by his wife, Jill Bryan Smith;  his son, Rusty Smith;  his daughter, Bryan Smith Creasy and son-in-law, Neil A. Creasy; his grandchildren, C.F. Sanders Creasy, andd Emmeline Ellsworth Creasy; in-laws, Jack and Betty Bryan, and Elsie Bryan; many nieces, nephews; and his best pal, Duffy (the smartest schnauzer ever).  At an early age Durwood moved from the family farm inWashington County, Georgia, to Savannah.  During his teen years he worked at his beloved brother Gene's grocery store.  He was Commandant of the ROTC unit and president of his senior class at Commercial High School in Savannah, from which he graduated in 1941. Six months later came the attack on Pearl Harbor.  Durwood enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served on a "submarine chaser" in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters until the end of World War II.  After decommissioning his ship in Astoria, Oregon, he returned to Savannah as a recruiting officer for the Naval Reserve.  Durwood met Jill Bryan on Tybee Island and they were married in Brooklet, Georgia, in 1950.

Durwood joined The Quaker Oats Company as a salesman in 1947, eventually becoming a National Sales Manager.  He studied at the Chicago Baking Institute and Cornell University.  He was active at Quaker's Product Development Laboratory in Barrington, Illinois, and traveled the country training salesmen.  He returned to his beloved South in 1968 as Southeastern Sales Manager, retiring from the company in 1983.  His hobbies in retirement were gardening, woodworking, and the Mobile Soup Kitchen at his church.  He was a true Southern gentleman, a great story-teller, who found his greatest pleasure in his family, his home and most especially Sanders, Emmeline and Duffy, not necessarily in that order.   In lieu of flowers, those desiring may send contributions to Oak Grove United Methodist Church Mobile Soup Kitchen, 722 Oak Grove Rd., Decatur, GA 30033 or Hospice Atlanta.  A memorial service will be held 2:00 PM Monday at Oak Grove United Methodist Church. The family will receive friends after the service at the Church.  A. S. Turner & Sons