Dr. John McHugh Smith passed away on Monday, Dec 11, 2023 at the age of 76. John was born in Baton Rouge, LA to Raymond and Earline Smith. He was predeceased by his parents; his brother, Anthony Smith; and his only son, Marcus Gray Smith. He is survived by his daughters, Michelle Gillespie (Jeff) of Arlington, VA; Natashia Clouatre (Randy) of Baton Rouge, LA; Holly Tunstall (Devon) of Baton Rouge, LA; and Leigh Ann Huseman (Daniel) of Houston, TX; his grandson, Maxwell Gillespie of Blacksburg, VA; his sister, Rita Tracy (John) of Bedford, TX; his sister-in-law, Paula Smith of Zachary, LA; past wives and the mothers of his children, Maureen Simpson of Ocala, FL and Leslie Smith of Central, LA; numerous nieces, nephews, friends and extended family.
John grew up in Zachary, LA and soon after graduating from Zachary High School, joined the US Air Force and served during the Vietnam War as a radar electronics technician where he was a Staff Sergeant. Shortly after graduating from LSU School of Dentistry in 1977, he moved to Central, LA and ran his own dental practice for over 30 years. John was an altar boy at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, a youth leader at Blackwater United Methodist Church, and a long-time member of St. Alphonsus Catholic Church. He had a very big personality and loved to joke around; he could be quite charming and was known to play a few pranks on unsuspecting loved ones. He enjoyed supporting and cheering on his children in academia and extracurricular activities, and also had a soft heart for animals. John had a passion for motorcycles and loved racing them on dirt trails and touring on them around the city and in other states. In his younger years, he also enjoyed traveling, scuba diving, and snow skiing. Whenever possible, he loved working with his hands and tinkering in his workshop.
Family and friends are invited to St. Alphonsus Catholic Church in Greenwell Springs, LA, Monday, December 18, 2023. Visitation will be at 9:30am, followed by a mass at 11:00, and then burial at the Shaw-McHugh cemetery in Zachary, LA.
Pallbearers will be Jeff Gillespie, Randy Clouatre, Devon Tunstall, Daniel Huseman, Maxwell Gillespie, and Eric Smith.
A very heartfelt and special thank you to Jean and Craig Cary for all the love and care they showed their dear friend and our amazing dad. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Catholic High School in memory of Marcus Smith, LSU School of Dentistry, Blackwater United Methodist Church, or a charity of your choice.
