Rodney Smith, 57, died September 3 at Harbor Grace Hospice in Atlanta, Ga.
He was born October 15, 1968, to Henry D. Smith and Henrietta Smith in Greensboro.
Rodney accepted Christ at an early age. He graduated from West Side High School in 1987, where he was on the basketball team.
Rodney worked at California Pizza Kitchen for 25 years and became a general manager. He also worked at Smokey Bones, Papis Cuba and Caribbean Grill as a general manager, and he was last employed at Applebee’s.
Rodney was preceded in death by his father, Henry D. Smith; a brother, Lester Williams; grandparents Tommie Johnson Sr. and Willie Bell Johnson, Vernice Smith and Bill Croom; an uncle, Leonard Smith; cousins Tinesha Smith, Vernice Smith and Michael Dunnican; and a godfather, Donald Vaughns.
Rodney leaves to cherish his precious memories his wife, Celia Smith; a daughter, Amaya Smith; his stepdaughter, Danielle Hall; a stepson, Matthew Hall; his mother, Henrietta Smith; his sisters, Pamela Smith and Barbara (Leon) Davis; his nieces, Afrika Luckey and Amariyah Smith; uncles Tommy (Rebecca) Johnson, Eddie (Ruby Love) Smith and Thomas C. (Johnnie) Smith; aunts Ollie (Aaron) Evans, Lillie Vaughns, Ethel Dunnican, Barbara (Emory) Craig, Patricia Johnson Smith and Gloria Jean Shelton; great-nephews Amarion Luckey and Amari Underwood; four step-grandchildren; and a host of relatives and friends.
Funeral services were held Saturday, September 12, at noon at Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church, 4209 Alabama Highway 14, Greensboro, with the Rev. Calvin Johnson, pastor, officiating.
