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“Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway,” John Wayne.

Dr. Danny D. Smith, age 71, of Elizabethton, Tennessee, went home to be with his Lord and Savior on Monday, April 25, 2022, in the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Smith was born in Elizabethton, Tennessee to the late Dale and Joan (Honeycutt) Smith on October 24, 1950. In addition to his parents, he was also preceded in death by a brother-in-law, Jay Robbins and a sister-in-law, Joanie Smith.

Dr. D, as known by so many, was a beloved and gifted doctor and was a true asset to his community. He was an outstanding baseball player for Elizabethton High School and earned a scholarship to play at Milligan College. After playing at Milligan College for three years, he was accepted into Physical Therapy School at UT Memphis, graduating in 1973 with a BS in Physical Therapy. Upon moving back to east Tennessee, Dr. D continued his educational path and earned his Master’s degree at ETSU in 1978. In 1980, he was the founder and guiding force of Physical Therapy Services P.A., which continues to provide state of the art Physical Therapy care. He later earned his Doctorate of Physical Therapy, becoming the first DPT in the state of TN, from The Institute of Physical Therapy at University of St. Augustine in September of 1996. Finally, Dr. D obtained his DhSC in Health Science in Physical Therapy at the University of St. Augustine in October of 2000.

Danny was an Elizabethton City School Board member from 1986-2000 and Chairman from 1987-2000, Kiwanian of the Year for years 2009, 2013 and 2021, and he was inducted into the Elizabethton High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2014. He volunteered his services for 45 years helping thousands of athletes and children of the Elizabethton and Carter County school systems.

Dr. D was also accomplished on the national level, being the recipient of numerous awards as well. He was the recipient of the Sports Physical Therapy Section Distinguished Service Award in 1999, the Sports Physical Therapy Section Ron Peyton Award in February of 2009, the Turner A Blackburn Lifetime Achievement Award in February of 2011, the Sports Physical Therapy Section Hall of Fame in February 2011, the Mac Hensley Lifetime Achievement Award in September 2018 and the Carol Liken Award in February 2021. Dr. D started the first Sports PT residency program in the state of TN in 2012.

Dr. Smith was a member of Southside Christian Church. In his leisure time he enjoyed spending time with his family, fishing with his grandchildren, spending time at the lake, traveling, and helping others in need. Danny will be greatly missed both as a doctor, a mentor, a community leader, advocate for children in the community and a family man.

Those left to cherish Dr. Smith’s legacy include his wife of 44 years, Kathy McKinney Smith of the home; his son, Dr. Justin (Kerry) Smith of Elizabethton; his daughter Tracey Smith Collake (Justin) also of Elizabethton; his grandchildren, Holsten Smith, Sabrah Smith, Harper Collake and Knox Collake; his brother, David Smith of Elizabethton and a sister-in-law, Susanne McKinney Robbins of Elizabethton.

A service to honor and celebrate Dr. Danny Smith will be conducted at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, May 3, 2022, in the Chapel of Peace at Tetrick Funeral Home of Elizabethton with Mr. Michael Koruschak officiating. The family will receive friends from 1:00 PM until 3:00 PM and again from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM on Tuesday, May 3, 2022, in the Chapel of Peace, prior to the service on Tuesday (the family will not be present between the times of 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM). Music will be under the direction of wonderful and magnificent Mrs. Debbie Gouge.

The graveside service will be conducted at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, in the Happy Valley Memorial Park. Active pallbearers will be Justin Collake, Holsten Smith, Russ Swanay, Dr. Mike Voight, Dr. Joe Black, Richard Barker, David Smith, Steve Ward, Kelly Geagley and Keith Green. Honorary pallbearers will be the staff of Physical Therapy Services, Elizabethton Kiwanis Club, Elizabethton Boys and Girls Club, Elizabethton Cyclone Athletics, The “Squires” Sports Physical Therapy Group, Keith and Carol Green, Judd Rice, Judy Fowler, Dr. Curt Barnes, Keith Dugger and Phil Roe. Those wishing to go in procession to the cemetery are asked to meet at Tetrick Funeral Home of Elizabethton at 9:15 AM on Wednesday.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff of MD Anderson in Houston, Texas, the staff of NIH in Bethesda, MD, Dr. Jaishankar, Dr. Vipul Brahmbhatt, and Dr. Colvett, and also to the staff of Physical Therapy Services.

Those who prefer memorials in lieu of flowers may make donations to the Elizabethton Boys and Girls Club, 104 Hudson Drive, Elizabethton, TN 37643 in honor of Dr. Smith.

Words of comfort can be sent to the family through our website, www.tetrickfuneralhome.com. Tetrick Funeral Home-Riverside Chapel, 211 North Riverside, Elizabethton, TN 37643 (423) 542-2232, is honored to serve the family of Dr. Danny Smith.