William Morgan Smith III, 39 of Buckingham, Virginia, died unexpectedly on
January 31, 2024.
Morgan was born on January 3, 1985, to Robin Davidson Smith and William
Morgan Smith II in Richmond, Virginia. After Morgan graduated from Buckingham
County High School in 2003, he studied political science at Virginia Commonwealth University, where he graduated in 2007.
Morgan had a wonderful smile, and when he was up to mischief, he couldn’t hide
it. There would be a twinkle in his eye, a grin on his face, and finally, he would
burst out laughing. He was an extraordinary father, son, brother, and friend with
a soft spot for little old ladies. As a child, Morgan developed a love of the
outdoors and a sense of adventure from exploring the land around his childhood
home. His love of animals had many outlets in the steady stream of strays and the
copious Smith family pet menagerie–cats, dogs, fish, parakeets, hamsters, a
ferret, and the occasional amphibian or reptile, including Clyde, the school boa
constrictor who went AWOL while visiting for the summer. No hay loft was too
high, no creeks too muddy, or stray hunting dogs too smelly. Morgan grew from a
shy, sweet little boy to one who honed his storytelling and debate skills and
exhibited a penchant for mischief.
During his years at VCU, Morgan consistently lent a helping hand to friends—or
strangers—and was fiercely loyal to those in his circle. He was the go-to guy for
refinishing floors, learning self-defense, sharing hard truths, and going on epic
adventures. He discovered a love for building as a practical and creative outlet for
his energy, and he shared that love with friends by involving them in projects.
Morgan’s degree in political science solidified his disillusionment with the
American political system and drove him to lean on a skillset that brought him
peace and a sense of accomplishment—building with his hands. He took pride in
his work, no matter how seemingly inconsequential the task. He was a
perfectionist. This particular calling also allowed Morgan to tap into another
skillset—telling other people what to do. He liked to call it management.
Between football, skate-boarding, building, and rambunctious stunts, his body
took a beating. His spleen ruptured after being sacked during a football game his
junior year. Who knows how many times he was concussed? In 2015, he cut off
his left thumb and two fingers with a miter saw while helping out a friend who
had in-laws coming for Thanksgiving but had ordered the wrong sized door for the
bathroom. He had presence of mind enough to call the rescue squad, wrap his
digits, and put them on ice in his cooler.
Morgan’s building experience led him to teaching building trades at Buckingham
Vocational Center and later Cumberland High School. As a teacher, he instilled a
sense of pride and ownership in his students’ work as they learned basic skills and
engaged in community service projects like building nest boxes to support the
bluebird population or adding accessibility ramps to private homes. He also
worked as an assistant coach for the schools’ football teams.
Morgan and his wife, Samantha, married in 2015 and had one child, Henry
Morgan Smith. Henry is a mini-Morgan: They share a love of the outdoors,
animals, adventures, and telling rambling stories.
Morgan was predeceased by his father, William Morgan Smith II. He is survived by
his son, Henry Morgan Smith; his wife, Samantha Gowin Smith; his step daughter,
Alexandria Isabel Ragland; his mother, Robin Davidson Smith; his sisters, Kathryn
Smith Hopgood (Adam) of Melbourne, Australia, and Elizabeth Meriwether
Riddick (Phes) of Virginia Beach; nieces and nephews, Eva and Ryker Hopgood,
William and Vivien Riddick; Archie, Cookie, Peck Peck, the porch possum, and
Henry’s assorted array of other chickens and feral cats.
Morgan’s ashes will be interred at Grace Episcopal Church, 60 Ca Ira Rd,
Cumberland, Saturday, Feb. 17 at noon. (Note: Use 60 Ca Ira Road for GPS
location, not 47 as their website states.) A memorial service will follow at 2pm at
Johns Memorial Episcopal Church, 400 High Street, Farmville.
In lieu of flowers, honor Morgan and console his family by supporting the one he
loved best in this world: his son, Henry. Morgan was adamant that Henry get the
best education possible—and if you knew Morgan, you know how obdurate he
could be about anything! The Henry Morgan Smith Fund will be put in a trust to
support Henry’s education. There are two ways you can contribute:
Mail your check to the Henry Morgan Smith Fund 300562491 at Benchmark
Community Bank (BCB), PO Box 246, Farmville VA 23901.
Send money to his GoFundMe account, which goes to his BCB fund: https://gofund.me/7b09f551.
Saturday, February 17, 2024
12:00 - 1:00 pm (Eastern time)
Grace Episcopal Church Cemetery
Saturday, February 17, 2024
2:00 - 3:00 pm (Eastern time)
John's Memorial Episcopal Church
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