John Edward Smith

John Edward Smith, age 46, passed away on Thursday, October 20, 2016 in Mount Pleasant, SC. He was born March 25, 1970 and grew up in Shaker Heights, Ohio. John’s smile was contagious and he never knew a stranger. He also never let fear get in the way of doing the right thing. He approached difficulties head on in all aspects of life and regularly said, “there are no such things as problems, only opportunities.” This attitude allowed John to always be the calm in the storm and he shared this gift with others as often as he could, unselfishly supporting countless people through their own challenges and hard times. John was both passionate and visionary in his work, dedicating his career to helping organizations create cultures centered on deep respect and unbridled encouragement of others. The waves that John created in this industry will be felt for many generations to come and the lives he impacted are forever changed. John was a member of Christ Our King Catholic Church and shared his love for mentorship there by teaching Sunday School to seventh graders. John graduated from Kent State University in 1994 earning a degree in Computer Science and Mathematics. He began his career in the IT industry and worked in that industry for over 20 years, earning an MBA in Information Technology Management from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2004. John is survived by his children, Merissa 14 and Trevor 13; wife, Lori (nee Tyler); sister, Sarina Walters (Douglas); nephew, Benjamin;, and family and friends too large in numbers to list, but not forgotten. John is reunited with his twin brother Edward J Smith and parents Elmer G and Eleanor R Smith. The family will receive friends on Sunday, October 30, 2016 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at McAlister-Smith Funeral Home, 1520 Rifle Range Road, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Christ Our King Catholic Church on Monday, October 31, 2016 at 10:00 AM. A Memorial Service will be held in his honor at Our Lady of Peace, Cleveland, OH at a later date. Expressions of sympathy may be viewed or submitted online at www.McAlister-Smith.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to McALISTER-SMITH FUNERAL HOME, MT PLEASANT CHAPEL, 1520 RIFLE RANGE ROAD, MT PLEASANT, SC (843) 884-3833.