Johnnie Lee Smith, Sr. was born to the late Johnnie Lee Smith and Jonah Mae Kelly in Sylvester, Georgia. When John Lee was a teenager, he relocated to Miami, Florida, with his parents and siblings.

He attended Booker T. Washington Senior High School, class of 1966. Immediately after High School, John Lee, as family affectionately called him, enlisted in the United States Army, quickly rising up the ranks to become a Sergeant. While serving his country, Sergeant Smith received dozens of awards and accolades. One of the awards that he was most proud of was the Bronze Star Medal. In 1969, John Lee received an honorable discharge from the military and relocated back to Miami, Florida.

That same year, John Lee joined the brotherhood of the International Longshoremen, Local 1416, serving as a longshoreman and Header. In 2013, he humbly retired from the Port of Miami after 40 years of service.

On April 17, 2025, Johnnie Lee Smith Sr. departed this life.