Oct. 19, 2026
BrevardBeagle.com
Jonathan Rich
BrevardBeagle.com
The name Joe Smith may at first seem very common or even average, but for the 93-year-old Pisgah Forest resident who was given the key to his hometown during Monday night’s City Council meeting, that is clearly not the case.
Smith quietly sat on the front row of the council meeting surrounded by family members inside City Hall as Mayor Maureen Copelof regaled the audience in attendance and those watching the live stream with a stream of accolades that prompted her to read an official proclamation declaring Friday, Oct. 23 “Joe Smith Day” in the City of Brevard.
Copelof stood beside the U.S. Army veteran and former worker at the Ecusta Paper Mill whose eyes wistfully sparkled as the mayor talked about how Smith served with distinction at the Brevard Fire Department from 1966 until he retired in 1992 as the organization’s deputy fire chief.
But that was not Smith’s only service to the city and the county where he was born and raised. He was a member of the Transylvania County Sheriff’s Office Volunteers in Partnership program for more than 20 years and also volunteered with the City of Brevard Public Works Department sharing his time and craftsmanship on numerous community projects.
Copelof said she first encountered this uncommon civil servant during his retirement when he offered his carpentry talents to build shelters at the City Dog Park several years ago:
“The plan was that we would construct the pavilions using our hard-working and talented Public Works staff that was young, energetic and had lots of time and energy to do the work, but we needed somebody with the expertise that could oversee it,” Copelof explained. “We didn’t have anybody until Joe stood up and basically said, ‘I’ll do it and I’ll do it for free.’ Because, of course, he is a master carpenter and he has all the requirements.”
Joe said, “’They’ll do all the work, I’m just gonna be there to supervise.’”
“So I walk down there one day when they’re working on the roof of the pavilion, and who do I see on the roof of the pavilion who is 87 years old?,” Mayor Copelof recalled. “I go, ‘Oh my God, Joe, you’re supposed to be on the ground supervising. Those guys up there are supposed to be doing it. And what did you say?’”
Looking at his wife Murle in the front row, he winked and answered: “I’m just up here seeing that they put the shingles down right.”
Copelof continued to praise Smith for smaller municipal accomplishments such as building a bulletin board and the Little Free Library at the City of Brevard Dog Park before she presented the man of the hour with the key to the city and asked him to share a few words.
“I’d just like to say thank you to the city of Brevard,” Smith humbly said before he started naming former and current city employees who had helped him achieve many of the accolades he had been singled out for Monday night.
“So many of the guys in this room helped me with those buildings and I want to thank all of you for what you did. We got along so good and did stuff together,” he continued. “I just really want to thank the city of Brevard for all they’ve done for me over the years. A lot of things they have done for me I could not have done myself. You’ve been with me for 93 years now. I just love all of you guys back there that worked for the city. They’re my friends and they helped me out a lot. I want to thank all my relatives who are here tonight. I appreciate you and am thankful for each one of you. I love all of you and God bless all of you.”
As Joe Smith offered one last ‘thank you’ to his family, friends, and neighbors, members of Brevard City Council and everyone in City Council chambers took to their feet and clapped their hands for a standing ovation for Joe Smith; a man with a common name who clearly earned a day named after him and the sparkling ceremonial key to the city that he had already given so much to during his time in Brevard and Transylvania County.