A longtime familiar face in the Lexington community has passed away. James “Smitty” Smith died earlier this week at the age of 89 of natural causes. Known by most all as Smitty, Smith was a longtime welcoming maître d at Columbia’s Steakhouse on North Limestone.
Columbia’s General Manager Flo Cowley said Smitty was an upbeat person to the fullest. “He was just such a great people person. He was so kind and his hospitality to everybody that walked in. He made you feel like you were a king or queen,” said Cowley.
Smith worked up front in the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department for 28 years and was working there up to just a couple of weeks ago. Calling him the Lexington Legend, Sheriff Kathy Witt said he always had a smile on his face which helped ease any anxiety found in visitors. Witt said the current restrictions in place regarding the coronavirus would have forced Smitty to interact in a way strange to him. “This wouldn’t be Smitty’s time that he would want to be here because he wanted to hug ya, he wanted to shake your hand and pat you on the back and tell you it’s going to be ok. You know, the six feet apart wasn’t really a part of Smitty,” explained Witt.
Witt added the Clark County native also worked for almost three decades at the Army Depot and then for the U.S Department of Agriculture. Funeral arrangements are pending.
Here's more with Fayette County Sheriff Kathy Witt:
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