MONROE-Henry Bascom Smith, Jr., 77, of Unionville, passed away Sunday, January 19, 2014, after a long illness. A native of Monroe, he loved his hometown and county, leaving only for college, law school and National Guard training. He was born at home on April 16, 1936, delivered by his uncle, Dr. George Marvin Smith, as the first-born child of Henry Bascom and Marguerite Brown Smith. A graduate of Monroe High School, Henry B. (as he was always called), earned his Eagle Scout designation as a teen. He earned an AB three-year degree in arts and law, followed by his law degree at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill,. During college, he joined the Army National Guard, B Battery, 113th Artillery, in Monroe, attaining rank of second lieutenant. He joined his father’s law firm in Monroe after college and later opened his own law firm. He ended his career as a partner with Griffin, Smith, Caldwell, Helder Helms, now Helms, Robison Lee. During his law career, Henry B. served as attorney for the town councils of Marshville and Indian Trail, and as attorney for the Union County Board of Education prior to consolidation. He also served as president of the Union County Bar Association and was a member of the North Carolina and American Bar Associations. Henry B. was a steadfast advocate of community involvement, holding various offices with Monroe Jaycees, including president and state director, and was named the organization’s Young Man of the Year in 1968. During his Jaycee tenure, he spearheaded (with Paul Neal Helms) the development of the School for the Trainable, now the Wolfe Center, which was the first merged educational program in the then separate city and county school systems. The school was a two-year effort by the Jaycees. He served on the board of the American Red Cross and with the American Cancer Society, Heart Fund and Combined Charities (now the United Way.) He also served as chairman of the Board of Trustees of Union Memorial Hospital, now CMC-Union, during the bond issue and design of the existing hospital facility.He gave many years of community service, serving as vice chair of the Chamber of Commerce board of directors, as chairman of Hospice of Union County during its development and as vice chair of Downtown Monroe, Inc. He served as the first chairman of the Airport Commission for the City of Monroe and as chairman of Union County’s first subdivision ordinance committee. Henry B. helped organize St. Paul Episicopal Church’s Boy Scout Troop 1 and served as its scoutmaster. He also sang for many years in multiple church choirs. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Marguerite Anne Smith Broadwell. He is survived by his wife of 24 years, Nancy E. Stephen, and by his children: Bryan (Claire), Marty Smith Gainous (Marion) and Lee Ann Smith (Robert Forbes), as well as his grandchildren Beckett Forbes; William, Oliver and Owen Smith, Sonja Erchak and Ava Smith. He also is survived by his brother, William Lowry Smith (Kitty). The family expresses its gratitude to his “family” at New Testament Adult Day Care, Carillon Assisted Living and Hospice Palliative Care of Charlotte for their years of outstanding caregiving. A Celebration of Life will be held on Tuesday, February 4, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Rolling Hills Country Club. Memorials may be made to the Henry B. Smith Fund For Elder Care: Henry B. Smith Jr. Fund (Fund 2335), Foundation For The Carolinas, 220 N. Tryon St., Charlotte, NC 28202. Gordon Funeral Service is assisting the family.