Johnny Lee Smith

Funeral services for John Lee “Johnny” Smith will be held on Friday, July 6, 2018 at 2:00pm at Reed-Culver Chapel with Reverend DJ McCarter officiating. His visitation will be held on Thursday, July 5th, 2018 from 4:00pm until 7:00pm at Reed-Culver Funeral Home. He will be laid to rest with his family in Manus Cemetery. Online condolences for his family maybe left at www.reedculver.com.

John Lee or Johnny Lee as his family knew him, was born on November 4th, 1940 in Adair County in the old Bidding Springs area. He was the son of Alex (Alec) and Nellie (Christie) Smith. He lived at home with his family and was raised speaking only Cherokee, he never acquired English as a language. In 1965, his entire family was killed in a terrible car accident that included his father, his mother and his sister, Margaret Jo. His sister Virginia Wells took Johnny Lee and her sisters son into her home, and they lived with her from that day on. It wasn’t unusual to find Johnny Lee with his trusted walking stick, walking from Welling to Wauhilla, to visit with family. He would go deep into the wooded areas and search for traditional Cherokee food such as wild onions. However his all-time favorite treat was his homemade skillet popcorn. He enjoyed people, but was somewhat shy if he wasn’t familiar with them. He was extremely curious, and he enjoyed every chance he had to disassemble anything mechanical and see what made it run, then attempt to put it all back together again! He was content to listen to the radio and liked music of many varieties. His father had been a traditional stomp leader at the Chewey Stomp Grounds and in his youth often accompanied his family to worship in the traditional way of the Cherokee. Johnny also attended DD Etchison Church from time to time. He was happiest with his family surrounding him and never tired of just enjoying being in their company. He passed from this life on Friday, June 29th, 2018 in Tahlequah, OK at the age of 77 years. He will be missed by all who knew and loved him.

He is preceded in death by his mother, father, sisters, Margaret, Virginia Wells and Joyce McCarter, and his grandparents, John and Tuckie (Bolin) Smith and William and Jennie Christie.

He is survived by his nieces, Ruby Wells of Welling, OK, Mary Ann Muir of Wheaton, MD, nephew Arthur Wells of Welling Gary Dean Smith of Oklahoma City, Darrell Smith of Tahlequah, OK, Carlene Echohawk of Tulsa, OK, Viola Jean of Tahelquah, OK and Martin Dale of Tulsa, OK, as well as many other nieces, nephews too many to list, a host of cousins, friends and loved ones.