HAYESVILLE — Curt Smith is a man of many stories. The 92-year-old Korean War veteran and longtime Hayesville resident lives a rather quiet life now in the home he built over 20 years ago.
Yet his life to this point has been anything but quiet.
The first thing you will notice when driving up to Smith’s home is the severed red Volkswagen that appears to be coming straight out of the earth. It’s old and it may look strange, but it brings a certain character to the property before you ever step foot onto it. That old-time, rustic, genuine character is exactly what Smith embodies.
Born in Holmes County in 1928, he was an only child and grew up knowing no different. Following the death of his father in a tragic accident before Smith was born, he recalls not realizing what a father even was.
“I didn’t know I was supposed to have a father until sometime in school,” Smith said.
Having never remarried following her husband’s death, Smith’s mother raised him on her own and worked as a teacher to support them both.
“She never found anyone that suited both of us,” he said.
Smith lived a rather normal life through his adolescence and teenage years, but was thrown for a bit of a loop when he was drafted into the Korean War in 1950. Much to his surprise, he was stationed in Virginia Beach working in the mechanics pool.
“Nobody ever shot at me, and I never shot at anybody else,” Smith joked.
While the majority of his two years in the service were spent in Virginia, there was a three-month period that he transported and unloaded supplies from maritime ships on Baffin Island, in the Canadian territory of Nunavut.
During those three months living on the Navy ship, Smith recalls the vessel getting stuck in ice for a long period of time and cramped living quarters, but the food was a highlight.
“When I got onboard the ship to go, I weighed 160 pounds,” he said. “When I came back, I weighed 190. I gained 10 pounds per month mostly because we didn’t have all that much to do and the food was pretty good.
“Those sailors eat well. That’s the only thing I liked about the ship.”
Once his two years of service expired, Smith began work at a television repair shop after a friend of his quit the position. Coincidentally, that friend went on to start up the electronics program at Mansfield Senior High School where Smith, although he didn’t realize it at the time, would spend 25 years of his life.
After Smith’s friend taught at Mansfield Senior for three years, he went to the administration and told them that Smith should be his replacement.
One of the things that helped Smith stand out in terms of becoming the new electronics teacher was that he was college educated.
“You can’t hardly find a mechanic to teach that has a college degree,” Smith explained. “Usually they’ll take a mechanic from a shop and give him a little training in teaching, and then he’ll be a teacher.
“In my case, I had a little college work so I got credit for that, and I got credit for working in the industry.”
In addition to being well-versed in the field, he also got along very well with the students. However, he claims he was a strict teacher.
“I always had students that asked to be in my class,” he said.
Following his retirement in 1983, Smith spent his time doing things he enjoyed like traveling around the U.S., reading and spending time with his wife Eileen, who passed in early 2017.
Smith is especially proud of his collection of antique cars. He accumulated the vehicles over the years and now houses them in an expansive 10-car garage. The collection includes a black Ford Model T, a pink and white Ford Crown Victoria and a bright red Cord 812 Phaeton.
Smith also takes great pride in is the 100-foot maple tree that towers over his front yard. This visually unique tree measures 11 feet around and is widely known around the Hayesville community.
“It’s pretty, and it’s straight,” Smith said. “It’s as straight as a stove pipe. I have lots of trees but those trees are just trees and don’t have a lot of beauty. This tree has a lot of beauty.”
On a fall afternoon, Smith took his Korean War veteran hat, walked outside and posed for a photo in front of the monstrous maple tree, beaming in the blinding November sun.
While outside, Smith took notice of a broken tree branch and a dried tomato plant that had withered due to the changing temperatures. With slightly trembling hands, he examined the damage and took in the vast expanse of his spacious backyard.
Curt Smith has lived a long, eventful life. His easygoing, charismatic, and gracious personality is something everyone should have the pleasure of experiencing.
If you ever find yourself in Hayesville, stay on the lookout for Curt, his favorite maple tree or the bright red Volkswagen sticking out of the yard.
