‘See you on the other side’ Celebration of Life service honors Carter Smyre Jr.

Teresa Whitaker
·2 min read
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(COLUMBUS, Ga.) – Blessed. Generous. Wonderful. Daddy. These are some of the words that were used to describe retired Chief Warrant Officer 3 Carter Smyre Jr. during his Celebration of Life service at Greater Ward Chapel A.M.E. Church in Columbus, Georgia.

Smyre, the father of former Georgia State Representative Calvin Smyre, passed away on April 12, 2024. Federal, state, and local dignitaries paid homage to the former businessman. When Smyre retired from the military, he worked for a Real Estate company until he started his own. For more than 40 years, he helped numerous people live the American dream of home ownership.

Carter Smyre was lauded Friday by a sitting U.S. Congressman, members of the Georgia General Assembly, and his son, a U.S. Representative/Public Delegate to the 78th United Nations General Assembly, Calvin Smyre. Of his father, Calvin Smyre told the people gathered at Greater Ward Chapel A.M.E. church that his father and his grandfather were two of the most influential people in his life. He went on to describe Carter Smyre as a man of action, a great disciplinarian, who only had to discipline him once.

He recalled a time when as a child, he was left home and told to watch a pot that was cooking on the stove. His friends came over and talked him into setting the temperature to low, so he could join them in a game of marbles outside. The smoke billowing from the house cut their game short. They managed to put out the fire. When his father finally learned the truth about what really happened, he rounded all of his friends and whipped the young Calvin in front of all of them. That was the only disciplinary lesson he would need for the rest of his childhood.

Smyre added his father was a wonderful person who guided him through his entire career and taught him how to make adjustments in life. He wrapped up his remarks by saying, “Daddy, see you on the other side. Well done, my good and faith servant.”

Carter Smyre, Jr. was buried at Fort Moore with full military honors. He was 98 years old.

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