John Wiley Smith

Graveside service for John Wiley “J.W.” Smith, 83, of Fort Walton Beach, FL will be Friday, October 14, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. at Roselawn Cemetery with James Maxwell of Natures Trail Church in Priceville and Vicar Ellis Wayand of Christ Our Redeemer Luther Church in Hartselle officiating. Roselawn Funeral Home directing.

Mr. Smith, who died Tuesday, October 11, 2011, in Fort Walton Beach, was born October 12, 1927, in Seminary, Miss., to Bola and Tamer Aultman Smith. He was a U.S. Navy veteran and graduated from Mississippi State University. He retired as an electrical engineer from Marshall Space Flight Center (NASA).

He was preceded in death by his wife, JoAnn Smith; one son, Mark Smith; one brother, Denvil Smith; and one sister, Evelyn Rhoades and his parents.

Survivors include one son, Steve Smith (Linda) of Mary Esther, FL; two daughters, Carol Nielsen (Tim) of Fort Walton Beach, FL and Kristi Kaup (Doug) of Hartselle; two sisters, Earshel Boutwell of New Orleans, LA and Vera McKinney of Gainesville, FL; grandchildren, Derek Mielsen, Jeanna Barlas, Jennifer Stapleton, Tim Nielsen, Kyle Smith and Ben Smith, all of Florida, Shelby Kaup and MacKenna Kaup, both of Hartselle; and four great-grandchildren, Kate Barlas, Olivia Barlas, Grant Stapleton and Derek Nielsen, Jr. of Florida.