Smiley Street in Hinesville will have a new name next week. The street will be known as Sandy Mobley Lane, in honor of one of its longtime residents.
Smiley Street connects to Deal Street and two other streets off it — Lori Lane and Young Lane — are named in honor of other family members. All the property owners who have frontage on what is now Smiley signed off on the request to rename the street.
One of the criteria in renaming a street, City Manager Kenneth Howard said, is to strengthen neighborhood identity.
“Continuity goes way back,” he said. “It has been family property forever.”
The original request was to rename the street Sandy Lane. There is a Sandy Run Road in Riceboro and a Sandy Run Drive in Hinesville and while there are similarities, Howard said, they are not duplications. However, the suggestion was made to rename the street Sandy Mobley Lane.
“To change it to Sandy Lane or Sandy Mobley Lane in Sandy’s memory means an awful lot to me and to Sandy’s family,” said Bobby Mobley, husband of the late Sandy Mobley. “It sounds like a simple thing but it is more than that to me. It addresses not only Sandy’s legacy but also helps to preserve the heritage of this street and this land that has been in their family forever.”
Deal Street was named for Sandy Mobley’s grandfather, and Sandy grew up in that neighborhood, playing in the woods before the area was developed and before the streets were paved. Her mother, Estelle Deal Young, named Smiley Street and named Lori Lane and Young Lane. Lori Lane was named after Bobby and Sandy Mobley’s daughter, who was Young’s first granddaughter.
Sandy Mobley graduated from Bradwell Institute in 1964 and played adult basketball and softball. She also coached her children and grandchildren in the Liberty County Recreation Department.
Mobley’s parents also lived at the intersection of Deal and Smiley.
“This has been very emotional for me. It is a very special thing,” Bobby Mobley said. “I had no inkling when that name was suggested and approved the real significance of adding that name change to it. It is a tribute to her family and my family. We are eternally grateful for y’all in making this happen. We do thank you, the whole family.”
A ceremony to mark the street’s name change will be held September 25 at 10 a.m. at the intersection of Deal and Smiley streets.