Dr. Terrald Jay Smith

He was born in Hinton, Oklahoma November 19, 1947 and attended schools in Weatherford, Oklahoma and Monterey. He graduated Putnam City High in 1966 and attended Oklahoma State University. He was drafted in 1968 and had training at Fort Polk and at Fort Sam Houston. He served as a medic in company C of the 9th Infantry in Vietnam earning a Bronze Star for his heroism. He met his wife of 43 years Christina and they married in Stillwater, Oklahoma in 1970.

Dr. Smith earned a B.S. in biology and a B.S. in chemistry from Central State College in Edmond Oklahoma. He worked for the Oklahoma Water Resources Board and then earned a M.S. in biochemistry from OSU where he taught organic chemistry. He then went to OU and earned an M.D. in 1979. While at medical school he wrote lesson modules for students on the PLATO system. He continued his love of computers throughout his life, writing office management programs for Macs. He was a well-loved family physician at the AHEC clinic in Fort Smith in 1983 and served as associate director of the residency program for 2 years. He was in private practice at the Available Medicare Care clinic in Fort Smith until 2003.

He is survived by his wife, Christina, son Eric Nathaniel Smith and his wife Cassandra of Perry, Oklahoma, daughter Charity Ann Thomas and her husband Josh of Fort Smith, and son Thomas Joseph Smith of Austin, TX, his sister Delene Kemp and her husband Tom of Tulsa, OK, seven grandchildren Raj Jones, Anika, and Raina Smith, all of Perry, OK, Zinnia and Forrest Smith, Evan Myrick and Ezra Haddock all of Fort Smith and two great-grandchildren Braydon and Izzy.

Funeral service will be 11:00 on Monday, August 18, 2014, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Fort Smith. Burial will be at Fort Smith National Cemetery with Military Honors under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home.

Pallbearers will be Dr. Stephen Golden, Dr. Dale Perrymore, Dr. Jerry Russell, Dr. Christiaan Slabbert, Dr. Tom Tinsman and Tom Kemp.

The family will visit with friends Sunday from 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM at the Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers please send memorial contributions to Trinity Junior High, 1205 South Albert Pike, Fort Smith, AR 72903 for a scholarship in his name.