Preston Patrick Smith
August 10, 2001 - October 06, 2014
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Obituary For Preston Patrick Smith
A celebration of the life of Preston Patrick Smith will be held Saturday, October 11th, 2014 at 2:00PM at First Presbyterian Church, located at 112 S. Salisbury St. in downtown Raleigh. Dr. Ed McLeod will officiate. A reception will follow in Memorial Hall at the Church.
Preston passed away Monday, October 6 2014 at the age of thirteen. Preston was born August 10, 2001 at Duke Hospital in Durham, NC. He attended Frankie Lemmon Preschool and Brooks Elementary in Raleigh, NC.
Born with congenital heart defects, Preston fought bravely and was a precious soul to all who knew and loved him. Preston was a gift of love, a symbol of strength, a courageous fighter and a true light.
Preston is survived by his parents, Ryan and Kimberly Smith and sister Ella of Raleigh, NC. Grandparents Helen Tewkesbury Hinds (Bob Hinds) of Aiken, SC; Jim Crenshaw (Jane Edwards Crenshaw) of Raleigh, NC; Mac Smith of Hampton, SC. He is also survived by his Uncle Bo Crenshaw (Emile Crenshaw) of Aiken, SC. His Aunt Tamara Herber (Matthew Herber) of Atlanta, GA. Preston has six cousins. Preston was pre-deceased by his grandmother Janice Wessinger.
Preston’s life centered around food. He loved to eat. He knew exactly what he liked and had very specific tastes. Preston thought carefully about each and every meal. He also enjoyed collecting special things like Dr. Who, Godzilla, and other unique items, especially nostalgic memorabilia. He was very fascinated w/ anything “as seen on TV.” Everything Preston did had to be exact. He was very OCD and had to have things organized, neat and tidy. Preston enjoyed the outdoors, often collecting rocks leaves and other objects of nature. He enjoyed squirting the hose at bumblebees, riding his scooter (that he outgrew years ago) and playing putt-putt. He loved soaking in the bath, anytime of day. If not eating or bathing, Preston would play games for hours on the iPad or watch YouTube videos. He was also a typical big brother to his younger sister, Ella. Among Preston’s favorite things was his mom. He was her shadow and sidekick. His health left him unable to attend school for the last two years. Instead, he spent considerable time exploring the aisles at Target and the grocery stores, tagging along doing everyday errands. He enjoyed his trips to Myrtle Beach and Aiken, SC to visit his grandparents. He had a fascination with maps and was quite a little fountain of knowledge about states and capitals, recently with an intense focus toward visiting Delaware. For several years, Preston has been anxious about turning 13…so he could “legally” watch PG-13 movies. Old movies were another passion of his. Preston had numerous challenges in life, both mental and physical. Through it all…he had a great outlook and never looked at himself as being challenged. He was undeniably special to all those who knew him. His unique charm will never be forgotten.
In lieu of flowers, Family request memorial donations be made to: Culver S. Scales Senior Major Gifts Officer Duke Children’s Development 710 W. Main Street, Suite 200 Durham, NC 27701 919-385-3133 culver.scales@duke.edu
Services
Memorial Service
02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
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Condolences
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September 01, 2020
Preston, indeed a boy with a "precious soul." He brought such joy and many smiles into the lives of many of us, having a strong, vibrant, and loving personality already as a preschooler. He will be so greatly missed, and lovingly remembered - many thoughts and prayers for all Preston's family and friends. May your grieving be gentle. Vicki DeMaster, Frankie Lemmon School
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September 01, 2020
Sent a gift in memory of Preston Patrick Smith
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September 01, 2020
I remember staying in Raleigh several years ago to go to the museum and staying with Grandma Helen, Mr. Bob, and Preston. He was such a wonderful little guy and we had a good time with the dogs and eating pizza! I hope that he is having a grand time and grateful that he is not sick or in pain any more! Praying for healing for everyone.
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September 01, 2020
Lit a candle in memory of Preston Patrick Smith
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September 01, 2020
Preston, Great smile, always adding a smile and laugh to our day. We will miss you. May your life bring many great memories to your family and friends. May God bless your parents, sister, and all the many people's hearts you touched with your life. from your friend, Dr. Robert Foor, and the staff at Carolina Kids Pediatrics. 🙂
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September 01, 2020
Kim, Ryan and Ella, Andrew, Dan and I are so saddened to hear of Preston's death. He was an amazing kid and will be so missed. I have great memories of our boys together in kindergarten and for years at Brooks. We love you and are keeping you close in prayer. The O'Connor Family
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September 01, 2020
Loving thoughts and Prayers to the Smith Family.
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September 01, 2020
I always enjoy Thanksgiving with Preston the most. Fun to watch all of the kids play together like we did when we were little. And I love how he enjoyed playing the piano at my parent's house. He always went straight to it!
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September 01, 2020
The first time I met Preston was way back in his Kindergarden days. He astounded me with his skill at completing more complex puzzles. Of course, at the time that is all he wanted to do, and if you tried to take him away from them, he became very stubborn. His stubborn side was evident throughout his school years, he knew what he wanted and wouldn't budge easily, however when he did choose to concede, he made tremendous strides. On field trips he would be the first to raise his hand to ask a question. At times he could be a handful. His wicked sense of humor, constant questions, and desire for knowledge, overshadowed those moments. I was one of the lucky people to have been driven crazy by his OCD, his demand for help, his constant questions, and his overall enthusiasim for knowledge., on anything and everything. Preston is etched into my heart, and I know that like many others he will never be forgotten. Lisa Holmes Special Education Teaching Assistant Brooks Elementary
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September 01, 2020
I so had a wonderful time watching Preston enjoy the motorcycle Merry-go - Round at the NC State Fair the year he was in the 4 year old class at Frankie Lemmon School . He must have ridden that ride 5 times ! He was soooo happy !
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September 01, 2020
Lit a candle in memory of Preston Patrick Smith
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September 01, 2020
Lit a candle in memory of Preston Patrick Smith
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September 01, 2020
Lit a candle in memory of Preston Patrick Smith
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September 01, 2020
Lit a candle in memory of Preston Patrick Smith
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September 01, 2020
Lit a candle in memory of Preston Patrick Smith
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September 01, 2020
Lit a candle in memory of Preston Patrick Smith
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September 01, 2020
Lit a candle in memory of Preston Patrick Smith
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September 01, 2020
Lit a candle in memory of Preston Patrick Smith
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September 01, 2020
Lit a candle in memory of Preston Patrick Smith
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September 01, 2020
Praying for strength and peace for the Smith family!
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