Richard Fredrick Smoak

Richard Fredrick Smoak , 64,  passed away on Thursday, November 3, 2016 at Palmetto Health Richland.

*The casket will be placed in the church 1 hour prior to the funeral service.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Sunday, November 6, 2016  at Northside Baptist Church in Orangeburg with burial at Crestlawn Memorial Gardens.  Dr. Rev. Shane Stutzman and Rev. Frank Hay will be officiating.

Pallbearers will be,  Gene Hay, Ralph “Buddy” Walling, Dewey Walling, Randy Rigny, Donnie Trussell and Dr. John Hayden.

Honorary pall bearers will be the Members of the For Heaven’s Sake Sunday School Class

Richard Fredrick Smoak was born on September 25, 1952 in Orangeburg County.  He was the son of the late Lucious Fredrick Smoak and Mrs. Ella Gertrude Smith Smoak.  He graduated in from Orangeburg Wilkinson High School in 1970.  Mr. Smoak was a member of the National Guard Unit that was based in Bamberg, S.C. Richard was a member of the Shibboleth Masonic Lodge #28 in Orangeburg.  His work career started at Old Bochette’s Grocery on Highway 301.  He then worked alongside his father at the Charleston Navy Shipyard.  Richard built a career at Southern Bell where he climbed the ladder of success.  He started as an installer, was promoted to a fiber slicer and retired at the age of 50 as an engineer. He was a current member of Northside Baptist Church where he was a member of the For Heaven’s Sake Sunday School Class.  He was a previous member of Ebenezer Baptist Church of Cordova, where he was a deacon, choir member, RA leader, Sunday School teacher and camp counselor.  Richard loved the theater and was a past president of the Orangeburg Part-Time Players. He was instrumental in the rebuilding and renovation of The Bluebird Theatre. He was an actor, director, master set builder, carpenter and electrician. He received the Jeffery P. Weaver Award for excellence of service to the theatre and the arts. Along with his friend, Fred H. Boatwright, they designed; built and operated Orangeburg’s owe count down lighted New Years’ Eve Ball. Richard along with friend Matt Quay created and painted the mural that lines the pathway between Russell Street and the parking lot behind the theatre. Richard was a former coach for the boys and girls basketball teams at Garden City Christian School.  Richard loved fishing and was an avid golfer and went as often as he could.  He loved to ride his motorcycle especially for charity motorcycle events. He even rode his motorcycle to South Dakota for the Sturgis motorcycle rally one year.  Richard was a master carpenter building furniture for many family and friends.  He loved to work with his hands and the soil was no different.  Every year he planted a large garden. Richard’s happiest hobby was seeing his grandchildren playing in the backyard. They would emulate their “Opa” (grandfather) whether it be in the garden, playing golf or just sitting and listening to Carolina Gamecock football games.  Many friends would come to “Richard’s Porch” after work to talk, hang out or to get advice.  Each year he would indulge his wife by going to the beach for vacation even though he did not like the sand, wind or the bugs.  He loved rocking on the porch watching the waves and watching his grandchildren play in the water. He was the master chef at the beach.  He loved cooking bacon wrapped shrimp, Beaufort stew or crab for his family after a long day on the beach. Richard had one rule at the beach.  It was, “you are welcome to anything you want, you just have to get it.” His love for life and his devotion to his family and God will truly be missed.

He was predeceased by his grandparents, Rosa Lee Smoak Smith McLaughlin Linder, Irby O’Neal Smith, Fred Buyck McLaughlin, Gena Sauls Smoak and Daniel McMichael Smoak, Sr.; his father Lucious Fred Smoak and his twins Jay and Dee Smoak.

Survivors include his wife, Donna Whetstone Smoak of Orangeburg; daughter, Jennifer Smoak Stansill and husband Jason R. “Cash” Stansill of Columbia; daughter, Rachael Marie Zimmer and husband Edward J. Zimmer of Columbia; son, Daniel McMichael Smoak and wife Jean Moira Smoak of Columbia; 5 grandchildren: Brennan James Thomas Gee, Bella Jo Vesper Smoak, Bear Jamison La’Rue Smoak, Riley Tillinghast Stansill and Harrison Cash Stansill, all of Columbia; his mother, Ella Gertrude Smoak of Texas; sister, Cheryl B. Trahan and husband Bruce Trahan of Texas; brother, Neal D. Smoak and wife Debbie Smoak of Columbia; aunt, Jane Stiles and husband Glen Stiles of St. Matthews; mother-in-law, LuRene W. Whetstone of Orangeburg, sister-in-law, Marcia W. Hughes and husband Kenneth B. Hughes of Cordova; sister-in-law, Nancy W. Jeffcoat of Orangeburg; brother-in-law, Morrison Wylette Whetstone, Jr. and wife Barbara H. Whetstone of Michigan; and a number of nieces and nephews.

Friends may call Thompson Funeral Home Inc. in Orangeburg.

Memorials may be made to Northside Baptist Church Dominican Mission Fund at 1250 Columbia Road, Orangeburg, S.C. 29115