FedEx founder Fred Smith's life ceremony celebration
FedEx founder Fred Smith celebrates the celebrations on August 11, 2025 at Fedexforum in downtown Memphis.
Autozone founder Pitt Hyde has forged a close friendship with late Fed Smith, founder of Fed Express.
Hyde described him as “a Renaissance man” and said he was always impressed by Smith’s way of reading—his ability to economics, diplomacy and military ethics was as easy as the “FedEx balance sheet.”
“(Fred) is the most influential person in Memphis history,” Hyde said. “What he did was nothing more than inventing global business. He changed not only Memphis, but the world.”
Hyde was one of several speakers who praised and told Smith's story at a celebration of life event held on August 11 in downtown Memphis.
FedEx hosted an event open to the public to celebrate his 81st birthday.
Smith died of natural causes in Memphis on June 21. He is only 80 years old. During his tenure, Smith served as chairman and CEO of FedEx, which he formulated as one of the world's largest shipping companies, now worth billions of dollars.
Smith's profound impact on Memphis and the business world as a whole is reflected not only in the speaker's message, but in the proven crowd – by 9:30 AM, the arena is half full. With people coming up with the announcement, the event started at 10 a.m., and over the years, Smith’s images showed Smith’s images on the screen together with people who knew and respected him.
Several spokespersons paid tribute to the founders of FedEx, which not only wanted to transform the logistics industry, but also the city of Memphis, including U.S. Congressmen Steve Cohen and David Cohen and former Alsac CEO Richard Shadyac Jr.
Memphis Mayor Paul Young is the same as former Secretary of State John Kerry and Yale University (Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smith's of Smi (The FedEx St. Jude Championship will be held on August 10 at TPC in Memphis.)
Young introduced the city’s key to the Smith Family at the ceremony and announced it as “Fred W. Smith Day” on August 11.
“In his 50-year guidance to FedEx, he gave Memphis the wings,” Young said. “He made the inevitable inevitable.”
FedEx President and CEO Raj Subramaniam, together with the announcement of “Fred W. Smith Day”, said August 11 will be the company's annual service day. FedEx will also donate $1 million to the FedEx founder’s grant fund to help veterans start new businesses.
Richard Smith, the son of Fred Smith and FedEx executive, assured Memphis that FedEx won't go anywhere.
“We will continue to come to Memphis and the future, just like my old man wants it.”
Subramaniam shares many stories about his mentors and friends. The two have visited Hawaii and visited the Arizona aircraft carrier. Subramaniam said Smith has been answering questions from all their guides. He also donated $10,000 to the museum on the spot in honor of a tour guide.
“That's Fred,” Subramaniam said. “Always be modest, always generous, always hope to improve the city.”
Pastor Tim Bowers said that although FedEx crosses every corner of the world, Smith's heart is always in Memphis.
“You deliver something much better than the package,” said Bowles. “You bring hope and possibility to the world.”
FedEx Board Chairman R. Brad Martin said Smith is the most important citizen in Memphis history for more than 200 years, a city that Smith has always considered home. (Smith was born in Max, Mississippi and moved to Memphis as a child.)
U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn said Smith's contributions played an important role in the creation and funding of the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.
“His service has changed the lives of many people in Memphis and around the world,” she said.
Throughout the event, Morgan Freeman and Tom Hanks talked about multiple biographical montages. Hanks plays a FedEx employee in Smith's film Cast Over.
Meanwhile, Cohen noted that Smith had a huge impact on the Memphis Zoo and efforts to transport giant pandas around the world. He said Smith's $10 million donation to the zoo was the highest donation ever made at the time.
Memphis University President Bill Hardgrave said Smith is a supporter of Memphis’ outstanding performance and has been working behind the scenes to help Memphis help Memphis attend the conference by calling and writing at the time of his death.
Like everyone else, Kustoff talks about the strong relationship Smith has built between FedEx and the city of Memphis.
“Fedex is more than just a company,” he said. “If you live here and spend your life here, you know what that means. Fedex is not only in Memphis, but Fedex is Memphis.”
Shadyac Jr.
Shadyac is seeking to continue the legacy. One of his last calls with Smith was about pediatric cancer in Vietnam. Smith learned in a visit how survival rates in Southeast Asian countries are less than 20%, while in St. Jude, 80% survival rates survive through proper care and treatment. The call led to the establishment of a delegation from St. Jude and Fedex, which will travel to Vietnam later in August to find possible solutions.