Remembering Verne Smith

GREER -- In their nearly 59 years of marriage, former state Sen. Verne Smith and his wife, Jean, walked through life hand-in-hand.

Hard times couldn't pull them apart. Politics certainly couldn't separate them.

Only death was strong enough to break their bond.

On Wednesday, the final chapter of their story was written. In a church overflowing with family, friends and memories, Smith was remembered as a big-hearted man with a soft spot for children, the elderly and most of all, for Jean.

Smith, who served in the Senate for 34 years before retiring in July, died Sunday at age 81 after an 18-month battle with myelodysplastic syndrome -- a condition that prevented his bone marrow from creating enough healthy red blood cells. His death came 29 days after his wife died after suffering a stroke, and 29 days before his 82nd birthday.

"He and his wife were almost inseparable," Sen. Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston, Smith's longtime colleague, said outside of First Presbyterian Church after the service in downtown Greer. "As I look today, I know they are together again."

In an era when speed-dating is all the rage, and romance is considered sending an e-flower to someone met in an Internet chatroom, the Smiths inspired a sentiment that had a more old-fashioned quality.

Refresher course

Family was always important to Smith, whether it was his own or someone else's, said the Rev. Ray White, one of three ministers who led the service. He said Smith gave him a refresher course on that point one day after the minister's daughter was involved in a traffic accident.

White was in his office meeting with Smith when his daughter called, and he said he told her he'd check on her when the meeting wrapped.

"He got this look on his face," White said, drawing laughter from the crowd.

Smith, in colorful language, told White where he needed to be, and walked out of the office. It was a lesson that stayed with the minister.

Mary Jo Lewis of Greer said that wasn't the only teaching that Smith did at the church. They were in the same Sunday school class, and anytime the teacher wasn't there Smith would take over and tell stories about the city's history.

"It won't be the same around here without him," Lewis said.

Sen. Larry Grooms, R-Bonneau, recalled how Smith made him feel at home when he first entered the Senate in 1997.

"He was the first legislator to greet me," Grooms said. "Leaders like him will be missed."

Grooms said he never had to guess whether Smith was in his corner on legislation being debated.

"He was a plain-spoken man, and you always knew where you stood with him," Grooms said. "If he was smiling and he called you 'buddy,' you were alright."

During his time in the Legislature, Smith was a voice for the underprivileged. Medicaid was one of his pet projects, and he always fought to make certain it was funded.

Smith will perhaps best be remembered for bolting the Democratic Party and joining the Republicans in 2001. His party switch gave the GOP control of the Senate and the Legislature for the first time since Reconstruction.

While many Democrats ostracized him for jumping ship, Sen. John Drummond stood by him.

"We were the best of friends, even after he made his decision," said Drummond, D-Greenwood, who has spent 39 years in the Senate. "He had to do it, and it was the right thing for him to do."

Smith underwent gall bladder surgery in 2005, and that's when his illness was discovered. He missed the entire 2006 session.

Drummond went to see him about two weeks ago. He knew it would be the last time.

"We'd talk a while and cry a while," he said. "But I'm not worried about him. He's with Momma (his wife) now."

Robert W. Dalton can be reached at 562-7274 or bob.dalton@shj.com.