An Ole Miss Hall of Fame member and Pulitzer Prize-nominated writer has died at age 87.
Patrick D. Smith died Feb. 9 in Florida where he moved in 1966 after working in public relations for the University of Mississippi. Smith worked at Ole Miss from 1962-1966.
“Today I learned of the passing of a great friend, mentor and Ole Miss Rebel — Pat Smith,” said Ed Meek publisher of HottyToddy.com. “Pat was Director of Public Information when I was first employed at Ole Miss. He handled press from around the world who came to the campus to cover the admission of James Meredith. A native of Mendenhall, Miss., he authored a half dozen books, one of which became a motion picture. In 2007, Panorama Studios released the award winning “Patrick Smith’s Florida: A sense of Place.”
Smith is best known for his prolific writing. He was nominated three times for Pulitzer Prizes in 1973, 1974 and 1978. Smith is the author of seven novels, including A Land Remembered and The River is Home.
This great Mississippian and Rebel died at a nursing home in Merritt, Fla., surrounded by his family.
