William Lawrence Smith, Jr. was born on December 30, 1949 to his parents, William and Betty Reaves Smith. He was called home by our heavenly Father on November 30, 2015 at Gardena Memorial Hospital after suffering a heart attack.
He was baptized at Unity Baptist Church as a child where he attended Sunday School, Royal Ambassadors, played in the Rhythm Band and sang in the Young Adult Choir.
He attended school in Joplin, MO. He and his brother, Gregory Smith, were some of the last African-American students to attend the all-black Lincoln School where Miss Thelma Meeks and Mrs. Bernice Smith were teachers and Mr. Marion W. Dial was the principal. He played various sports, baseball, football and basketball. He was a Cub/Boy Scout.
He graduated from Parkwood High School in 1967, attending Missouri Southern College. He worked for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company before moving to California where he has been a resident for 45+ years, freelancing in various fields - Bay Area Finance Co., West Covina Printing Co. and LAX Airport Shuttle System.
He loved people and always had a smile to greet you with lots of love.
Survivors include his parents, William and Betty J. Smith; brother Gregory Lee Smith; three children, Janelle Johnson, Linwood, Washington, Tony and Tonya Burton and their children of Joplin; a very special friend, Pauline Robinson, Los Angeles, California; special aunt, Susie Reaves, Corine Thomas and Marion Smith Jones; a host of nieces, cousins, relatives and friends. All loved him.
Funeral services will be 2:00 p.m. Thursday at Parker Mortuary Chapel with Rev. Rufus Kelly officiating. Interment will follow at Ozark Memorial Park Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Gary "Cat" Johnson, Teddy Johnson, Larry Johnson, J.L. Love and William Gilmore. Honorary pallbearers will be Tony Triplett, Harry Reaves, Joe Blue, Jim Johnson, Sammy Funkhouser, Greg Wyatt, Bobby England, Tony Card Reaves, Mike Gilbert and Eric Colbert.
No comments:
Post a Comment