School leader, community servant, loving family man, caring friend, dedicated coach...
There are so many titles Mr. John “Buddy” Smith carried in his life.
But a good man was his signature.
The beloved school administrator and coach died last Thursday at 69 years old.
Glancing through pages and pages of memorials and messages left at her husband’s funeral service Monday, Phyllis Smith said the ink in that book tells the story of Buddy’s life and the impact he made on others.
“People from near and far came to pay their respects,” she said. “It was both young and old. From the people he worked with to lifelong friends to his basketball students, he was so loved and respected. He was a good man.”
Buddy was a down-to-earth man who never criticized, only lifted up those around him. Never one to put on airs, he was a genuine person who valued every relationship, regardless of the miles or time in between.
“The Buddy today would be the same Buddy a year from now,” Phyllis said. “Nothing changed that.”
Many knew him as Mr. Smith. A few simply called him Coach. But to most, he was always Mr. Buddy.
“He was the same Buddy to his friends, the people he worked with and the students he taught,” Phyllis said, with a laugh.
Mr. Buddy was born on Jan. 14, 1947 to John S. and Mattie Belle Smith in Yazoo County. He was the youngest of five children.
He received his associate’s degree from Holmes Community College, where he played basketball. The community college would always hold a special place in the Smith house. It was also there where he met his future wife of 48 years, Ms. Phyllis.
Mr. Buddy would later earn his Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from the University of Southern Mississippi.
Returning to his hometown, his career began at his own alma mater Bentonia High School, where he served as head basketball coach and social studies teacher.
During that time, he also served as coordinator the Yazoo Community Action Summer Youth Program and as the Drug Education Specialist for the Yazoo County School District.
It was in the high school’s hallways, classrooms and the court where he left his mark among that generation of students.
“He never forgot the students,” said Mickey Rivers, who worked with Mr. Buddy for close to three decades. “Everything he did in his entire career revolved around those kids and the schools.”
At one time, athletics were at an all-time low, borderline non-existent at the rural high school. Mr. Buddy changed that.
“He began working on the P.E. program,” Phyllis said. “He worked that program up until all the sports began again.”
“Working up” led the school to two state championship titles.
His basketball teams at Bentonia won the State Championship Title in 1982 and 1984.
“He took it from a P.E. class to state champions,” Phyllis said.
Many of the players Mr. Buddy worked with came from farm families in rural Yazoo County. Basketball goals could be found at their yards, nestled among crop lands and farm equipment.
One of those kids was Rod Barnes, who would later become the head coach of the men’s basketball team at the University of Mississippi.
“Rod told me, ‘Coach would make us practice plays over and over again, but he would never let us use them,’” Phyllis said. “But when they got into the playoffs or district time, Rod said, ‘Coach told us to use them. We’ll trick them now.’”
Mr. Buddy shaped the “country boys” into champions.
“They were a little team from out in the middle of nowhere who became champions,” Phyllis said. “When those boys got to the Coliseum, their eyes were as big as saucers. Some of them had never left Yazoo County.”
Mr. Buddy’s boys all grew up to be fine young men.
“You can do things you never thought you could do” was Mr. Buddy’s motivation. And his team still remembers it to this day.
Mr. Buddy later earned his Master’s degree in Education Administration from Mississippi College. He would then serve as principal of Bentonia High School and Yazoo County High School for 12 years. After serving two years as Technology Director for the Yazoo County School District, he was elected Superintendent of Yazoo County, serving until his retirement in 2006.
It was during his time with the county schools that Mr. Buddy’s friendship with Rivers would begin.
“I came to Satartia in 1973,” Rivers said. “Ike Anderson and Buddy Smith were the first two people I met. Buddy was a good person, a good friend. He was closer to me than any of my own brothers and family members.”
Mr. Buddy would return briefly as Interim Superintendent for the year 2010.
“I wanted to try to get the school board members at that time to dedicate the new central office building to Buddy,” Rivers said. “He was the sole reason that new building was built. If he hadn’t come back, it would have never happened.”
When Mr. Buddy wasn’t working, he could be found on the golf course or traveling with his family across the country.
He lived life to the fullest, truly loved those around him. And reminded others of what hard work and kindness would do in life.
“He was just a caring person,” Rivers said. “He loved his family and friends. You can’t say enough good things about Buddy.”
Mr. Buddy was a Yazoo boy who had a treasure inside of him. He made farm boys into champions. He led a district into success. He held his family and friends up on their shoulders.
And he certainly left his mark on his community.
“Yazoo County served him well,” Phyllis said. “But he served Yazoo County well too.”
