G. Wayne "Duke" Smith Duke was born in Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, FL in 1948. As a child of 14 months, his mother abandoned him and he mostly grew up in foster care and orphanages. When his father remarried Duke was 7 years old and his new mom was Zonnie Mae Smith. She raised Duke as her own child, along with his sister Brenda and brother, Charles. It was Duke's first experience of family life. At age 16 Duke met Susie Lynch and they became high school sweethearts. Today after almost 51 years of marriage they are still high school sweethearts. At age 21 Duke and Susie said to each other; we have NO Money, NO JOBS, and we haven't completed our educations. So….they got married! But since they were blessed to live in the United States of America, the land of opportunity, they eventually did finish their education, get jobs and make a good living. Duke entered his career in law enforcement as a street cop in Hialeah, FL then in Charlotte, NC. While living in Charlotte, Duke was appointed Deputy United States Marshal, stationed in Greensboro, NC. His next assignment was USMS Chief of Intelligence at the El Paso Intelligence Center in El Paso, Tx. Next he became the Chief of Training at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center and Duke and Susie fell in love with their beloved St Simons Island. In 1994, Duke was asked to move to the Headquarters in the D.C. area to become the Associate Director of Operations. His divisions were Fugitive Apprehension, Witness Security, Judicial Security, Threat Assessment, and Prisoner Transportation. In 1994, Duke and Susie returned to their favorite place on earth, St Simons Island where Duke finished his career in Training until his retirement in 2001. Two of the things that Duke loved most: friends and fly fishing. He made time for his friends, he listened to them, he laughed when they laughed and cried when they cried. Quite a few people, who, if asked, "Who is your best friend?", would say Duke Smith. And of course, his passion was fly fishing. Although Duke was able to fly fish all over the world, his favorite place without exception was Ennis, Montana. Duke and his fishing buddies gathered at the same house for 20 years, right on the Madison River in Ennis, two or three times a year. He would catch a fish, thank the fish, and let it go. He was known for his humor. Duke is survived by his wife, Susie; his mother, Zonnie Smith of Kennesaw, GA; sister, Brenda Yeats (Jim) of Acworth, GA; his brother, Charles Smith (Missey) of Cumming, GA; and sister, Elisa Pate of Abbeville, SC. For the last 16 years of Duke's life he dedicated his life to the following prayer: God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change The courage to the change the things I can, And the wisdom to know the difference. Amen. Celebrations of Duke's life will take place at various times in the future. Contributions, if so desired, can be made to Hospice of the Golden Isles, Brunswick, GA.