Carol Jean Smith October 12, 1947 March 20, 2011 Carol Jean Smith of Montgomery and Anniston, Alabama, passed away onSunday, March 20, in Arab,Alabama. Known as Carol,Carol Jean, or CJ to manyfriends and family, her lifewas one on achievement,service, and compassion.She graduated from Jacksonville State Universitywhere she served as a student government officer.She was a charter memberof Alpha Xi Delta sororitywhich she later served as amember of the NationalCouncil. Ms. Smith received her law degreefrom the University of Alabama and served the people of the State of Alabama for over three decades,beginning as a law clerk toJustice James Faulkner onthe Supreme Court of Alabama, then as an AssistantAttorney General for 30years, culminating in service as Chief of the OpinionsDivision. For eight attorneysgeneral, Ms. Smith handledcivil litigation and criminalappeals; researched,wrote, and reviewed attorney general opinions; andserved as counsel to numerous state agencies andentities, including theBoard of Engineers andLand Surveyors, the Alabama Historical Commission, and the AlabamaLeague of Municipalities.For 30 years, Ms. Smith'sgave wise and calm counsel to a succession of stateexecutive officers, legislators and judges. She conceived the argument thatultimately reinvigoratedthe Eleventh Amendmentas a cornerstone to state/federal relations and shewon a multimillion dollarcivil judgment for the destruction of the Alabamahistoric sites, preserving thisaward as a trust fund tobenefit future generations.Ms. Smith was most knownprofessionally, however, forher service to the People ofAlabama through her day-to-day sharing of her expertise and wisdom, givingsound counsel to countlesslocal officials and their attorneys. Hundreds of mayors, councilmen, cityclerks, attorneys, probatejudges, county commissioners, school board officials, city and countyboard members, andmany others always foundher only a phone callaway, willing to assist themin carrying out their dutiesto the citizens in their communities. She was widelyknown in Alabama as theState's leading expert inthe fields of municipal andcounty government law.Ms. Smith accepted thetrust inherent in public service and safeguarded thattrust zealously. During herlifetime, she was recognized with many awardsboth nationally and withinAlabama, too numerous tomention. She was especially proud to be namedJacksonville State UniversityAlumna of the year and tobe elected as District 8Vice President of the University of Alabama AlumnaAssociation. Ms. Smith alsoserved her communitythrough service organizations. She was a memberof the Montgomery RotaryClub and Zonta, both international organizations. Sheserved Rotary in a numberof capacities including coordinating the Rotary Foreign Exchange Programfor Montgomery and wasnamed a Paul Harris Fellow. She served as president of the Zonta Club andas Chairman for Fund Raising. She also worked withthe Laubach LiteracyCouncil and was for manyyears a member of FirstBaptist Church in Montgomery. Ms. Smith was, lastbut not least, a lifetime fanof the Crimson Tide of Alabama. If asked, her favorite two words were ""RollTide"". Ms. Smith was preceded in death by her parents Hester Ledbetter Smithand Claudous Smith orAnniston, and her fiancT,John Edgar Wright of Montgomery. She is survived byher sister Claudette Smithbrother-in-law, Jim Hansonand many, many friendsthroughout Alabama. Inlieu of flowers please makedonations to University ofAlabama, Arab First BaptistChurch Building Fund, 502North Main Street, Arab, AL35016 or a charity of yourchoice.