Larry “Lowell” Smith, a lifelong resident of Opp, was born to Lloyd and Mavis Smith on December 18, 1951, in Opp, Alabama. He and his twin brother Joel were welcomed home by older sister, Margaret Smith Green. Lowell graduated from Opp High School in 1970 and Troy State University in 1974, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Business. Lowell and his wife Debbie Kilcrease Smith have one son, Jamison Wesley Smith.
Lowell worked for Anderson’s Peanuts, a Division of Alabama Farmers’ Cooperative, where he progressed from being Traffic Manager to Director of Production & Logistics. Lowell was a highly- respected member of the Southern Peanut Association. In 1987, he served as Vice-Chairman on the Trading Rules Committee, the committee responsible for rewriting the domestic and export trading rules for the Association, and these guidelines continue to serve as the standard by which peanuts are sold today. Lowell worked for 34 years at Anderson’s until AFC sold the peanut division to Birdsong Peanut Company. Lowell then transitioned to the position of purchasing agent at H. T. Hackney for one year before returning to peanuts. In 2010, Lowell began working at Sessions Company in Enterprise, Alabama, serving as the Food Safety & Quality Manager with a SQF Practitioner Certification from FSMI & GFSI. While in this position, he developed, implemented, and administered the SQF program at the processing plant, until his retirement in 2020.
Lowell has always possessed exemplary core values and a strong work ethic, both instilled in him by his parents. These core values and his strong work ethic, when combined with his genuine love for Opp, were the catalyst for Lowell choosing to play an active role in bettering his community and making it a quality place for families to reside. He has worked tirelessly over the years, oftentimes behind the scenes, to promote and improve our community. Lowell became a member of the Opp Lions Club in 1975 and faithfully served the club for 37 years, presiding as President of the local organization between 1980 and 1981 and District 34N Zone Chairman and Deputy District Governor for five terms. During his tenure in the Opp Lions Club, Lowell received many awards at all levels: Opp Lion of the Year 1982, District 34N Lion of the Year 1987, and the Melvin Jones Fellow Award. Lowell was elected by Lions District 34N to serve as a Director on the Alabama Sight Conservation Board, and residents of our own community benefited greatly from assistance provided by this organization. By far, the award Lowell cherishes most, although this award is not tangible, is the “award” he received when he worked diligently to ensure a young student received the necessary surgery to save his vision. Because of Lowell’s valiant efforts, the student’s vision was successfully restored! This young man later became a U.S. Marine, and he continues to proudly serve his country today.
Lowell’s interest in education and children prompted him to become a presenter at South Highlands Elementary School’s “Heritage Day.” For many years, he provided the students with interesting facts related to peanuts and explained the positive impact peanuts have on Opp, the state, and the country. Lowell was one of the most popular presenters and became known all over town by the students as “Candy Man” or “Mr. Peanut” because of the Reese’s Cups and peanuts that were passed out during his presentations. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2022.
