Dorothy Burton Smith

AIKEN, SC - Mrs. Dorothy Burton "Dot" Smith, 78, beloved wife of 59 years to Lionel Vance Smith, passed away Friday, January 15, 2021. Funeral services will be held 11:00 AM Tuesday, January 19, 2021 at St. John's United Methodist Church with The Rev. Dr. W. Timothy McClendon and The Rev. Butch Blackwell officiating. Private interment will follow. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the church will be enforcing their funeral service protocols. The service will be live-streamed on the St. John’s United Methodist Church Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/stjohnsaiken). Born in Trenton, SC, Dot was a daughter of the late Elijah F. and Samuella Padget Burton. She graduated from Edgefield High School and attended Peabody College in Nashville, TN. She helped make Lionel Smith Ltd., along with Lionel. Dot transitioned into owning a health food store that continues to operate 40 years later. She also worked along side her daughter at KR Smythe & Co. Dot was the consummate homemaker. She loved adventure and travel, following Lionel on bike trips across the country. Dot also traveled with a close group of friends across the states and in Europe. Dot loved ballroom dancing. Once the grandchildren came, she became a fulltime “GrandDot”. She loved taking the grandchildren (the “JAM” girls) to lunch on Saturdays with Lionel and Kelli. Dot loved her family and friends because she was one. In addition to her husband, Dot is survived by her two children, Kelli Renee Smith, Aiken, Lionel Vance “Van” (Tracey) Smith, Jr., Aiken; grandchildren, Jessica, Madelyn and Abigail Smith; sister, Virginia (John) Kemp, Edgefield, SC; brother, Robert E. (Faye) Burton, Edgefield and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by two sisters, Frances Cook and Clara Burton, and a brother, Marshall Burton. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Lionel and Dot Smith Scholarship Fund at the University of South Carolina Aiken, 471 University Parkway, Aiken, SC 29801 or St. John’s UMC, Memorial Fund, 104 Newberry St., NW, Aiken, SC 29801. SHELLHOUSE FUNERAL HOME, INC., 924 HAYNE AVE., AIKEN, SC 29801. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Dorothy Burton Smith, please visit our flower store.