Norman G Smith

Norman G. Smith (aka Snow, aka Smitty) was born to Rosa Lee and Pleas Smith on May 23, 1931 in Holly Grove, AR. Norman was educated in the Holly Grove school system. He spent several years in the US Army and upon honorary discharge, made the decision to relocate from Holly Grove to Kansas City in search of better work opportunities and increased quality of life. Among the many occupations Norman held throughout his working career, he was fortunate to retire with 32 years of service with the Transportation Services Branch of the General Services Administration at the age of 55. Retirement offered him the opportunity to travel extensively! He was never fond of flying, but would drive from KC to California and from KC back to Holly Grove each summer for the annual Holly Grove reunion! Being a farmer at heart, Norman loved to garden! He passionately grew an entire lot full of vegetables each year and was known to give away most of what he grew. He was happy to cook greens and peas for anyone on any occasion! Walking and staying fit was extremely important to Norman. During his walks, he never met a stranger! He faithfully walked most days of the year with groups in Loose and Minor Park. Marva, Lovie, and Kim were his faithful walking partners and became his good friends! At the age of 84, he could still walk 5 miles per day! Anyone who spent time with Norman knew of his love for tennis! He would spend the ENTIRE day watching tennis and Serena Williams was his favorite player. He knew the history of the game, the back story behind the tennis player’s lives, who Serena was dating at the time, and why the player’s world rankings were often times incorrect! This man knew his tennis! Norman never met a person he couldn’t hold a conversation with! He could discuss anything from today’s weather forecast to whom he thought should be the next President of the US and the next Supreme Court nominees! You might be asked to leave the room if you talked during the Meet the Press roundtable discussion! Norman was a comical man, too! When he first learned of his cancer diagnosis, he leaned back in his favorite chair and exclaimed, “yeah, the old coon done finally got me.” He continued to have that same sense of humor in the coming months. He once asked Violet to ask Google if he was going to heaven or hell! Norman will certainly be missed by many! His mother and father, Pleas and Rosa Lee Smith, sister Velma Crawford, brother Toil Smith and daughter Norma Renee preceded him in death. He leaves to cherish his memory a devoted companion, Lorene Allen; daughters, Violet Rice (Carl), Linda Franklin, and LaTonya Pegues; sons Willie Bailey and John Pegues; siblings Verbie Bogard and Urelene Leeper; grandchildren, great grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, step brothers, step sisters, and other loving relatives and friends. Funeral service will be 11:00am, Saturday, March 12, 2016, at Bread of Life Church, 7223 E Bannister Road, Kansas City, MO 64132. Interment at Forest Hill Cemetery. Family will receive friends beginning at 9am, Saturday morning at the church. Fond memories and condolences for the family may be offered at www.floralhillsfuneralhome.com. Arrangements: D.W. Newcomer’s Sons Floral Hills Funeral Home, 7000 Blue Ridge Blvd., Kansas City MO, (816) 353-1218.