H. Frank Smith Jr., who helped lay the foundation for downtown Atlanta’s skyline, died Jan. 29 after experiencing a significant stroke. He was 93.
Smith was a graduate of Georgia Tech with a degree in electrical engineering and was a professional engineer registered in Georgia, Florida and Virginia. As president and part owner of Allison-Smith Company, an electrical contracting and engineering firm, he helped build the original Lenox Square Mall, the original Merchandise Mart, the Hyatt Regency Hotel, a majority of the Peachtree Center buildings, the Omni Arena, the original Omni Center buildings, and the core electrical for several metro shopping malls, including Northlake, Southlake and Cumberland malls. He also provided electrical engineering services for the Procter & Gamble headquarters in Cincinnati and seven IBM buildings in Boca Raton/Delray, Florida.
Smith was born in Doerun, Georgia, on May 2, 1927. He served in the U.S. Army from 1944 to ’46, and established and served as assistant Scout master for Boy Scout Troop 370 in Atlanta. He was awarded the Silver Beaver in recognition of his service to Scouting.
Credit: Custom
Credit: Custom
Smith was a member of the Rotary Club of Atlanta for more than 40 years, served as its president and received the club’s Ivan Allen Award for Club Service. His family hosted more than 150 foreign students, known as “young Rotarians.”
Smith served as the president of Cherokee Town and Country Club, where he was involved with many of the club’s capital building programs. He served on the board of SciTrek from 1994 to ’95. He was a charter member of St. James Methodist Church in 1960 and a member of the Peachtree Presbyterian Church Covenant Sunday School class for 23 years.
His family says Smith was an avid reader of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for more than 70 years.
Smith was predeceased by his wife of more than 60 years, Bette Jeanne Smith. He is survived by one son, two daughters and several grandchildren.
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