Alson, Margarette, and David Smith Memorial Endowed Scholarship

Margarette Cage Matthews graduated from the Medical College of Virginia’s School of Radiology in 1948 and was a radiological technician at Winchester Memorial Hospital. Alson “Al” H. Smith, Jr. worked his way through high school delivering groceries, pumping gas, and trimming the apple trees of Harry F. Byrd. He served as a corporal with an Army military police company in Newfoundland during the Korean War from 1951 to 1953. Al and Margarette married in 1953, and in 1954, they bought a Tastee-Freez franchise, eventually owning 100 units in Virginia, West Virginia, and parts of Pennsylvania. In 1967, they became partners in Shenandoah Foods, a former wholesale food distribution business. Mr. Smith represented Frederick County in the Virginia House of Delegates for 20 years, from 1974 to 1993. Mrs. Smith was involved with many civic organizations, taught Sunday school, and was the choir director of Pleasant Valley United Methodist Church. She was also a member of the Actors Workshop and performed as the fairy godmother in Cinderella at the Wayside Theatre.

Mr. Smith was a long-time supporter of LFCC and was instrumental in raising private and state money to finance the college’s Special Events Center and Technology Center, which was named in his honor. This building is now the location of the college’s dental hygiene clinic, performance theatre, nursing simulation lab, trades training space, and a cyber-security lab. He passed away in March 2008. Mrs. Smith, was the former chairperson of the Virginia Commission for the Arts and was a champion for the cause of arts in education. She was instrumental in establishing the Artist in Residence program for community colleges. She passed away in 2012.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith had two sons, Alson, III (Skip) and David. David was a former LFCC Foundation board member and pastor of Greenwood United Methodist Church. He was tragically killed in a plane crash in 1999.