William (Bill) Freeman Smith passed away on September 1, 2026, at the age of 94. A native of Monroe, Louisiana, Bill was born on February 4, 1932, in Bastrop, Louisiana, as his family had been evacuated from Monroe due to the historic Ouachita Parish Flood of 1932. He received his undergraduate degree from Louisiana Tech University in 1954, before joining the Air Force as a Captain in the 11th Fighter Interceptor Squadron based in Duluth, Minnesota, where he ultimately met and married Mary Margaret (Peggy) Emley in 1956. Peggy was the love of his life and they were married for 65 years before her passing in 2022.

After his discharge from the service, Bill earned a Master of Science in Accounting degree from Michigan State University in 1959 and also received his CPA license, which set the stage for a long and successful accounting career. He was a partner with Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. (now KPMG), in Shreveport, Louisiana; Fort Worth, Texas; and Roanoke, Virginia before settling with his family in Nashville, Tennessee in 1971. He also worked with Kraft Brothers (now KraftCPAs) and Williams Crosslin Sparks & Vaden before transitioning to a Chief Financial Offi­cer role with Tennessee Data Systems and becoming a founding partner of Synercom Computers in the late-1980s. He rounded out his career by opening his own accounting firm in Downtown Franklin.

Bill converted to Catholicism prior to marrying Peggy, and for decades could be found at daily Mass in Nashville at either the Cathedral of the Incarnation, the Church of the Assumption, St. Mary of the Seven Sorrows, or St. Henry, or at St. Philip in Franklin after he retired. He was instrumental in many growth initiatives across the Diocese of Nashville during his 55 years in the area. As a member of St. Henry Catholic Church in the late 1970s, Bill was hand-picked by Bishop James Niedergeses to develop and grow Saint Matthew Catholic Church in Williamson County, and led fundraising efforts to build and inaugurate its first church facilities in 1980.

As a staunch supporter of Catholic education and religious vocations, Bill helped establish the Serra Club of Williamson County and served as the chapter’s first president. For his long-term dedication and exceptional service to Catholic education, he was recognized as a Life Trustee of Father Ryan High School in Nashville, where six of his seven children attended school.

Bill and Peggy retired to Franklin, Tennessee in 1989, where Bill continued to be active as Treasurer of the Republican Party of Williamson County and sat on the Board of Directors at several local non-profit organizations. Bill aged gracefully without losing his trademark sense of humor. After his doctor advised him against driving any more, he told his grandchildren, “I used to fly planes upside down, but now they won’t even let me drive a car.”

He was preceded in death by Peggy, his wife of 65 years. He is survived by children: Julie Kerry, Jim (Julie) Smith, Mark (Marilyn) Smith, Mary (Mark) French, Paul (Maria) Smith, David (Cara) Smith, and Sarah (Steve) Foutch; 12 grandchildren; and 6 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Philip Catholic Church in Franklin. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Boys and Girls Club of Franklin, 129 West Folkes St., #1000, Franklin, TN 37064, or Alive Hospice, 1718 Patterson Street, Nashville, TN 37203.