A concurrent RESOLUTION

 

TO REQUEST THE dEPARTMENT OF tRANSPORTATION NAME the portion of Piney Heights Road IN aIKEN cOUNTY FROM its intersection with pine hill road to its intersection with pine log Road THE "jAMES rOLAND sMITH mEMORIAL hIGHWAY" AND ERECT APPROPRIATE SIGNS OR MARKERS AT THIS LOCATION CONTAINING THESE WORDS.

 

Whereas, born February 26, 1933, to the late Walter W. Daniels and Maybell Smith Craig, the Honorable James Roland Smith went on to become one of Aiken County's longest serving legislators remembered for a "lifetime of service"; and

 

Whereas, Smith served in the United States Air Force for two years during the Korean War, where he earned the National Defense Service Medal. He was an active Pentecostal Minister for thirty-eight years, a retired rural carrier, and an accomplished entrepreneur. Smith enjoyed being a member of the Lions Club and the Beech Island Agricultural Club. He also was an avid bicyclist. He chaired the Beech Island Rural Community Water District board for ten years and served six years on the Aiken County School Board, with four of those years as vice chairman; and

 

Whereas, he was first elected to represent South Carolina House District 84 in 1988 and went on to serve more than two decades before retiring in 2014. Smith served on numerous House committees, including Agriculture and Natural Resources, Labor, Commerce, and Industry, Ways and Means, Economic Development, and was chairman of the House Ethics Committee. He also served on the Property and Casualty Insurance, Labor and Commerce, and other Taxes subcommittes; and

 

Whereas, in 1953 Smith married Peggy C. Cato, a union that produced three children, Garry, who served in the House with his father representing part of Greenville County, Todd and Caroline. The family also includes five grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren to whom Smith was completely devoted; and

 

Whereas, accolades that poured in after Smith's death on June 30, 2025, described him as having been well respected in Columbia, a fierce advocate for Aiken County, especially the valley, and successful at doing the things that needed to be done for the area. Another called him a humble person who cared about education, a person who grew up in the mill villages, and stayed in the valley; and

 

Whereas, it is only fitting and proper that this native son of the Palmetto State who loved and served God, his country, his constituents, and was devoted to his family is forever remembered by having a stretch of highway in Aiken County named in his memory. Now, therefore,

 

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

 

That the members of the South Carolina General Assembly, by this resolution, request the Department of Transportation name the portion of Piney Heights Road in Aiken County from its intersection with Pine Hill Road to its intersection with Pine Log Road the "James Roland Smith Memorial Highway" and erect appropriate signs or markers at this location containing these words.

 

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Department of Transportation.

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