Milton "Lee" Smith

Milton “Lee” Smith, age 69, passed away peacefully at his home on January 27, 2026.

Lee was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and grew up in Colfax, NC. He spent most of his life in Colfax and Kernersville, communities he deeply loved and faithfully served. He was a proud graduate of Northwest Guilford High School, Class of 1974.

For 43 years, Lee devoted his life to the open road as a professional truck driver. He drove team coast to coast across the United States with his neighbor and lifelong friend, Jerry Gray, with Perry & Turner and Old Dominion Freight Lines. He later drove team with his dear friend Barry Maner at Old Dominion and Estes before spending many years driving single. Lee retired from Estes Express Lines in 2023, having safely driven more than three million miles. Even in retirement, he stayed busy transporting diesel trucks alongside his wife and close friend Chester Norris for Diesel Trucks of North Carolina in Kernersville.

Lee had a passion for collecting nearly anything vintage, especially tools. He loved history—particularly the Civil War—and enjoyed all things related to vintage tractors and classic cars. But above all else, Lee’s greatest passion was helping others. He never needed to know someone to lend a hand. He routinely cleared debris from roads to protect drivers, mowed roadside paths so his wife and sister could walk safely, and ensured power lines stayed clear to prevent outages. He faithfully served his church by maintaining the church bus, van, and anything else on campus that needed attention.

His second great love was food. Lee enjoyed visiting his favorite restaurants, discovering new ones, and always kept “Scooby” snacks on hand—never hesitating to share them with anyone nearby.

Lee is survived by his loving wife, Gwen Smith; his daughter, Brandi Talley (Edward); his cherished grandson, Edward Talley III; his sisters, MaryAnn Tucker (Larry) and Carol Snipes; his brother, Brian Smith; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins, including his very special cousin, Keith Smith (Rhonda). He was preceded in death by his father, Milton Odell “Farm” Smith, and his mother, Ailene Slate Smith.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at Shady Grove Wesleyan Church, 119 North Bunkerhill Road, Colfax, NC 27235. Visitation will take place from 1:00–2:00 PM, followed by the service from 2:00–3:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Shady Grove Wesleyan Church Building Fund at

https://www.shadygrove.net/

Lee’s legacy of kindness, service, hard work, and quiet generosity will continue to live on in the many lives he touched.