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AUGUSTA, Ga. - Dr. Cason Conrad Smith, beloved husband of 63 years of Jean Rae Smith, entered into rest on Wednesday, November 9, 2005 at Portsbridge Hospice. Graveside services will be held on Saturday, November 12, 2005 at 11:00 a.m. at Westover Memorial Park with the Rev. Rob Watkins officiating. Dr. Smith, an Augusta native, was a member of Covenant Presbyterian Church and was a physician who specialized in dermatology and practiced in Augusta until his retirement in 1988. He attended local schools and was a graduate of the University of Georgia, the Medical College of Georgia and also interned at the University Hospital. Dr. Smith served as a medical officer in the United States Army during World War II. After his discharge from the service, he was a general practitioner in Chester, S.C. for a few years, and then moved to New York City as a dermatology fellow and a clinical research fellow at New York University-Bellevue Medical Center, Skin and Cancer Unit. Dr. Smith received a Master of Science in dermatology from New York University Post Graduate Medical School in 1953 and returned to Augusta to start his dermatologic practice. Dr. Smith was certified by the American Board of Dermatology, a Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology and the New York Academy of Science. He was also a former dermatologic consultant to the U.S. Army Hospital at Fort Gordon and to the AMA Council on drugs. He was a member of the Richmond County Medical Society, Medical Association of Georgia, Southern Medical Association, American Medical Association and the Augusta Society of Dermatologists. He was also a member and twice president of the Georgia Society of Dermatologists and a vice president and member of the Board of Directors of the Southeastern Dermatologic Association. Dr. Smith was also fortunate to be a preceptee for two years in the office of the internationally famous Dermatologist, Dr. Marion Sulzburger, Professor of Dermatology at the N.Y.U. Medical School. He was an author of numerous articles on dermatology in state and national medical journals as well as the author of chapters in several international books on dermatologic therapy. Dr. Smith was one of the pioneers in the clinical research of topical corticosteroids which helped to greatly enhance topical dermatologic therapy. He also did two initial studies in an effort to demonstrate systemic absorption of topically applied hydrocortisone through the skin. One study was done at Bellevue Hospital in New York City and the other in Augusta with the help of Dr. Robert Greenblatt's laboratory. The department of Dermatology at the Medical College of Georgia was founded in part by the repeated efforts of Dr. Smith, where he was a former clinical professor of dermatology. Locally, Dr. Smith was a member of Historic Augusta, Richmond County Historical Society, Augusta Museum of History, Friends of the Library and the Augusta Country Club. He was a sportsman, and a past member of several hunting clubs. Dr. Smith was a coauthor of a booklet, "Confederate Pistols-A Vest Pocket Reference". In addition to his wife, he is survived by his four sons, C. Conrad Smith, Jr. and wife, Bebe, of Augusta, Stephen K. Smith of Martinez, Barry I. Smith, and wife, DeRee, of Evans, and Joel R. Smith and wife, Kimberly, of Evans; a daughter, Gail Smith Baker, and husband, Hinton Baker, Jr., of Augusta; six grandchildren, Elizabeth Baker Weckel, Hinton Baker III, Marion Smith Lemarr, Jean- Marie Cason Smith, Courtney W. Smith, and Barry I. Smith, Jr.; and five great-grandchildren. Pallbearers will be Barry Smith, Jr., William Whaley, A. Hinton Baker III, Frank Knapp III, David Knapp, Ed P. Kenney, Michael Rae, and Lynwood Cason Smith. Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Jack Bell, Dr. Ernest Daniel, Dr. Edward Smith, Dr. Barry Thompson, Dr. Fred Kight, Dr. Peter Yount, Dr. Frank Durst, Jr., Dr. William Agostas, Dr. Avis Yount, Dr. Henry Alperin and Dr. Jack Lesher. The honorary pallbearers are asked to assemble at the graveside by 10:30 a.m. If so desired, memorials may be made to the MCG Foundation, Dermatology Section, Alumni Center, FI-1003A, Augusta, GA, 30912, or to Covenant Presbyterian Church, 3131 Walton Way, Augusta, GA, 30909. Platt's Funeral Home, 721 Crawford Ave.

The Augusta Chronicle November 12, 2005