Dorothy "Dot" Knight Smith

Dorothy “Dot” Knight Smith, 81, of Harleyville, entered into eternal rest on Monday, August 24, 2026.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00 PM Sunday, September 13, 2026, at The Barn at Reeves Farm, 161 Ordie Road, Reevesville with Pastor Roy Dean Knight officiating. We invite everyone to share a story you have about Dot at that time and participate in her favorite past time shag dancing.

Dorothy was born on July 2, 1945, a daughter of the late Arlee Knight and Maude Weathers Knight. She graduated from Harleyville Ridgeville High School where she showed off her basketball skills.  Dot retired from Santee Cooper. She was a member of Mount Tabor Methodist Church.

Dot was a devoted mother.  She was a “Mims Momma” following her daughters playing basketball, softball and cheering. 

Dot’s later love was dancing.  She loved being part of the shag world attending many dance clubs in Santee, Summerville, Charleston and Spartanburg. She especially enjoyed SOS in Myrtle Beach where she often assisted in decorating her dance club’s float. Dot won several shag competitions and taught many local teenagers and young adults how to shag.

It was a great accomplishment for Dot to be awarded the ACSC shag icon in 2006. In 2016, Dot was inducted in the National Living Legends in Dance in Virginia Beach, Virginia. As well as in 2019, Dot was inducted in the South Carolina Hall of Fame.  Also, Dot was inducted into the Charleston Area Shaggers Hall of Fame in 2020. The last nine years Dot found great joy in playing with her great grandchildren. She never visited them without bringing them a toy or candy.

She was predeceased by siblings, William “Hicks” Knight, James A. Knight, Jerome D. Knight, Wallace “Cotton” Knight, Virginia Pendarvis Way, Mary Estelle Day, Thelma Knight, Vickie Ann Roberson and Frances Ardis.

Surviving daughters, Penny Smith (Michael) Buckley, St. George and Mary Patricia “Patty” Smith (David Fowler) Mullen; of Niceville, FL; grandchildren, Taylor (Kristen) Buckley, Preston (Billy) Buckley, William Mullen and Jessica Mullen (Preston Cobb); great-grandchildren, Rylee and Madison Buckley, Sawyer Buckley, Ava James Cobb; sisters, Catherine Reeves and Marie Weathers.

The family would like to thank the staff at Magnolias of Eutawville for their heartfelt care, kindness and love shown to “Dottie.” You are definitely angels on earth. The family is also very appreciative to the nurses from Edisto Hospice for your guidance and caring hearts.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to SC American Heart Association at 887 Johnnie Dodds Avenue, Suite 110, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464.

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