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She was hard to miss around the capitol building in Atlanta.
All you had to do was look for the bright-colored outfit, the five-inch heels and the big white hair. Faye Smith served four terms in the Georgia State Senate, but she served Baldwin County for more than 50 years, first as an elementary school teacher, then as a State Senator and eventually as a County Commissioner.
Smith passed away on Wednesday at the age of 78. She is survived by her husband of 46 years, Tommy, as well as four children and a host of grandchildren.
"Pistol" was often used to describe Smith. She had an elementary school teacher's heart and caring nature, but she also was never afraid to stand up and speak out. On top of that, she did it all with a flare, and seemingly everyone around town knew about "Miss Faye."
Smith was born in the South Carolina upstate before moving with her family to Oconee County. She graduated from the University of Georgia and began her teaching career in the Baldwin County School District. Smith was an old-school teacher. She loved and adored her students, but she also had a very low tolerance for any mess.
She ultimately retired from the BCSD after 30 years and decided to take the plunge into politics. It worked, and Smith made history, becoming the first female State Senator in Baldwin County history.
She later served on the county commission, where she always stayed unapologetically true to who she was and was always the exact same "Miss Faye."
