Harriet Coulter Smith "Sue"

Harriet Coulter Smith, “Sue,” was born in Columbus, Georgia on July 10, 1930, to Harry Leonard and Alice Lockwood Coulter. She passed away on April 17, 2024 at her residence in Niceville, FL, surrounded by family. Sue was the youngest of three children, all girls, and a true “Southern Belle.” She follows in death her Columbus High School sweetheart and husband of 53 years, Henry Clifford Smith III “Cliff,” her older sister Alice Coulter Gray, sister-in-law Judy Smith Joiner, and her brothers-in-law Joseph Smith, Carey Joiner, Bob Gray and Jimmy Griggs. 

She is survived by her older sister Anne Coulter Griggs of Columbus, GA, and her three children, Michael Smith (Leona) of Rancho Murieta, CA, Scott Smith of Greenville, NC, and Susan Rasins (Mark) of Niceville, FL, in addition to her sister-in-law Barbara Ellison Smith and many nieces and nephews throughout the south whom she adored. 

“Tutu” (Hawaiian word for Grandmother) is also survived by seven grandchildren: Terry Smith, Annie Amaral (Steve), Alex Hollman(Charlie), Jillian Purvis(Kyle), Rick Rasins, Madison Bell(Garrett), and Ryan Rasins, as well as five great grandchildren: Owen and Julia Amaral, and triplets Larkin, Baylor, and Harbor Kate Purvis. Two more are expected later this year (Baby Bell and Baby Hollman). 

At age six, Sue worked as a soda jerk at her parent’s drugstore, Chatham’s Pharmacy. She loved recounting how, when a customer would order a banana split, she would make two – one for them, and one for her! She always joked that this early love of ice cream – and later love for fried catfish, pizza, hot dogs, tacos, and margaritas – was the source of her longevity! 

Sue had many lifelong friends in Columbus including a group of five who met at Wynnton School and remained friends for their entire lives. She was the last surviving member of the “The Big Five. ”Sue and Cliff graduated from Columbus HS and attended Auburn University. They were married on November 25, 1950, and began their family in 1952. 

Besides her family, Sue was passionate about four things – Hawaii, the Dallas Cowboys, white toy poodles, and BINGO. Her passion for Hawaii began when Cliff was transferred, and the family moved to Hawaii in 1961. She immediately began work as an Executive Secretary for the President of Hawaiian Memorial Park in Kaneohe, HI and immersed herself into everything about Hawaii. For the next 27 years, she and Cliff moved between Dallas and Hawaii for his career at AAFES, cementing her love for the islands.

As the children grew and began leaving the nest, Sue developed an obsession with white toy poodles and another passion shared by Cliff and the three children – The Dallas Cowboys. When she and Cliff retired to Niceville, FL in 1987, she fell in love with BINGO. She and her poodles were often seen together at the many bingo halls around town. Her love for bingo matched Cliff’s love for golf and they had a personalized license plate combing their two loves: “BINGOLF.”

Sue, with her generous heart, is deeply missed by her many families including: her Hawaiian “ohana,” (Adeline and all the Lius), her “adopted” Niceville daughter and bingo buddy Jennifer Willey, and her American House friends.

Aloha ‘Oe Sue, Mom, and Tutu, you have left an empty spot in all our hearts- until we meet again.

Funeral Services will be held 11:00 AM, Saturday, April 27, 2024 at Trinity Episcopal Church in Columbus, GA with interment immediately following at Riverdale Cemetery. We request Hawaiian attire be worn in honor of her deep and abiding love for the “Land of Aloha.”

Funeral services will be live streamed through Trinity Episcopal Church https://www.youtube.com/@trinityepiscopalchurch-col8125 or https://www.facebook.com/trinityepiscopalcolumbus

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