Lewis Ruil Smith was born on December 15, 1928, to Ruil H. Smith and Ethel Lewis Smith, in Eatonton, GA.
Active in church, he also participated in school sports, music, and debate programs. After graduating from Eatonton High School, Lewis went on to Mercer University, Southern Seminary, and then Georgia Medical College. In 1953 he met and dated Shirley Ann Gibbs. They were married on July 1, 1954,…