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Obituary for McKamy Smith, M.D., Ph.D.
MCKAMY SMITH, M.D., PH.D.
McKamy Smith, M.D., Ph.D., of Jackson, Mississippi, died on Saturday, December 21, 2019 surrounded by his loving family at St. Dominic-Jackson Memorial Hospital. He was 80.
A native of Dallas, Texas and born April 12, 1939, he was the son of the late Thomas Edwin Smith, M.D. and the late Marianna McKamy Smith.
Raised in Dallas, he was a graduate of Highland Park High School where he was an academic standout and successful in football and track. He served in the United States Air Force for four years and was honorably discharged in 1962. He was a 1961 cum laude undergraduate of Princeton University where he received his baccalaureate in biology. At Princeton, he received the honor of membership into The Society of Sigma Xi for his devotion to the promotion of research in science. He attended Baylor College of Medicine where he received his M.D. in 1966 followed by his Ph.D. in anatomy and physiology in 1967. He served his medical internship at Pacific Presbyterian Medical Center in San Francisco followed by his residency in cardiology at Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans, which he successfully completed in 1970. Following his cardiology fellowship at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1972, Dr. Smith entered into private practice in Jackson, Mississippi at Mississippi Baptist Medical Center before joining Jackson Heart Associates and St. Dominic’s for a long career where he remained until his formal retirement in 2014.
Dr. Smith was Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease, and Interventional Cardiology by the American Board of Internal Medicine. He was a Fellow (FACC) of the American College of Cardiology. He was a member of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, American College of Chest Physicians, National Lipid Association, and the American Heart Association.
Dr. Smith was active in his community. He was a Paul Harris Fellow with the Jackson Rotary Club and often golfed at the retired Colonial Country Club of Jackson. He had a love of racing cars and was a member of Sports Car Club of America and Formula Vee Racing. He was an avid fan of both Alabama and Ole Miss Football. He was a patron to music and arts and was a benefactor to the Mississippi Museum of Art and New Stage Theatre.
While known for his academic prowess and medical skill, Dr. Smith would light up a room when he entered. He was fiercely loyal and equally passionate and disciplined. He always pursued knowledge and performed tasks to the fullest; he never did anything without full effort. He and Martha were world travelers and he invested time in learning languages including Latin, Italian, and German.
Dr. Smith was a Christian who loved and served the Lord. He attended First Presbyterian Church, Jackson where he sang in the choir. While he touched and saved the lives of many patients and cared for their families, he was, most of all, a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, colleague, and friend.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Martha Nash Smith; his sons, McKamy “Mac” Smith II (Julie Griffin), of Tupelo, MS and Marchman Smith (Emily Martin), of Birmingham, AL; brother, Thomas Edwin Smith, Jr., M.D. (Karen Mattlage), of Ames, IA; sisters, Marianna McKamy Smith and Sally Sue Smith Mann (Tom), both of Dallas; grandchildren: McKamy Smith III, of Southaven, MS; Anne McKenzie Smith, of Bentonville, AR; Joshua Owen Smith, of Tupelo; Martha Mae Curry Smith, and Henry Wilton Smith, both of Birmingham; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.
Friends are invited to visitation with the family from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Thursday, December 26, 2019 at First Presbyterian Church, 1390 N. State Street, Jackson.
A Graveside Service will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, December 27, 2019 at Natchez Trace Memorial Park in Ridgeland. The Funeral Service will follow at 12 Noon at First Presbyterian Church, Jackson, the Rev. Dr. Bill Wymond officiating.
Pallbearers will be Mac Smith, Marchman Smith, McKamy Smith, Josh Smith, Bob Biggs, Jerry Everitt, Ben Watson and Ray Novak.
Honorary pallbearers will be the physicians and staff of Jackson Heart Clinic, St Dominic Hospital.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the Choir Fund at First Presbyterian Church, Jackson, the American Heart Association, the Benevolence Fund with The St. Dominic Health Services Foundation or to a charity of your choice.