University of South Alabama media relations director Matt Smith was remembered as a consummate professional who loved his family, his job and his school Tuesday during funeral services at Spanish Fort United Methodist Church.
Many smiles were evident among the tears, as those who eulogized Smith, 33, who died Friday of an apparent heart attack, recalled favorite moments and his labor of love in publicizing USA's sports programs.
"He touched so many people ... (and) reached so many people in so many ways," said Steve Kittrell, South Alabama's baseball coach, who described Smith as a tireless worker and a close friend.
Describing times when Smith would leave the Kittrells' beach home after a short visit to return to his office, Kittrell said Smith would always tell him, "'You've gotta love it,' Coach."
"He left his mark with so many people," Kittrell added. "He'll never be forgotten at South Alabama."
WKRG-TV sports director Randy Patrick talked of the fine line that is sometimes negotiated between members of the media and sports information directors, but dealing with Smith was a different experience. Even during times when the two would disagree, Patrick said they would always end the conversation on good terms.
"He was perfect for the job," Patrick said, adding he will always remember Smith's smile, which Patrick said was always part of Smith's personality. "Matt should have won some type of award for salesmanship for the University of South Alabama," Patrick added. "(Athletics director) Joe Gottfried said in an interview last Friday that Matt spoiled the media. He was right."
Lee Shirvanian, the veteran play-by-play announcer for South Alabama athletics on WNSP-FM 105.5, said he enjoyed spending time with Smith, especially on the many road trips they shared. He also recalled Smith's great enthusiasm for his job and the university.
"That will be what I remember most about Matt Smith," Shirvanian said, "that passion for his job. He always tried to make everybody as happy as he could (and) nobody did it better than Matt Smith.
"Never once, in the eight years I knew him, did I ever hear him complain. His standard line to me before every game was, 'Are you good to go?' In eight years, thanks to Matt Smith, I'm good to go."
Gottfried read aloud some of the many e-mails he said he received in the wake of Smith's death. Gottfried also shared a conversation he recently had with Smith's younger brother, Eddie.
"Eddie told me when Matt was younger he remembered Matt would lie in bed and pretend he was announcing South Alabama baseball games," Gottfried said.
Gottfried also shared a recent meeting among South Alabama athletics officials in which the group was trying something new, a short session among the staff members known as "out of the box" discussions where they shared something about themselves or their lives that the others in the room might not know.
Gottfried said Smith was the first to volunteer and talked about his family. Smith had told those present about his father, who had worked at International Paper for several years and was now a long-distance truck driver. He told them of his mother, who he described as the rock of the family, and how much he loved watching his younger brother play football and of his sister's pet grooming business.
"He loved his family very much," Gottfried said.
Smith suffered an apparent heart attack last Friday in Starkville, Miss., where he had worked a South Alabama-Mississippi State basketball game the previous night.
Burial on Tuesday was at nearby Wilson Cemetery in Spanish Fort following the funeral service.
Tributes to Smith continued Tuesday night at the South Alabama men's basketball game against Loyola Marymount at the Mitchell Center. Before the game, several photographs of Smith were displayed on the overhead scoreboard, a tribute was read and a moment of silence observed. The Jaguar basketball players wore a black patch on the left shoulder strap of their jerseys and the coaches wore black ribbons.