Personal life

Smith was born and grew up in the Williamson Road area of Roanoke, VA. Smith attended public schools in Roanoke City including William Fleming High School before graduating from Nashville Auto/Diesel College in 1961.

Smith went into business as a service station operator in 1966 and began Ralph Smith Inc. The business quickly expanded into steel fabrication with a specialty for producing trailer hitches. Over the decades, Ralph Smith Inc. also sold bicycles, produced wood burning stoves, and was involved in a variety of manufacturing, retail, and real estate enterprises. Smith significantly scaled back Ralph Smith Inc.’s ventures in recent years so he could devote his attention to his work in the State Senate.

Smith is a member of First Baptist Church in Roanoke, a Roanoke post of the AmVets, the Williamson Road Lions Club, and the Williamson Road Area Business Association. Smith was previously on the boards of First Citizens Bank, VAS Explore Park, the Miss Virginia Pageant, and the Mill Mountain Advisory Committee.

In 2009, Smith was elected chairman of Freedom Alliance’s Board of Directors. Freedom Alliance is a 501(c)3 educational and charitable foundation with a mission to honor and encourage military service.