Carroll Purvis Smith

Carroll Purvis Smith passed away on Friday, April 16, at age 63 after a long and courageous battle with heart disease and complications from several strokes suffered since 2000. He was a career oil field sales and service provider specializing in rental equipment, tools and testing services. He worked the oil fields in Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming. Carroll was born in July 1946 in Brookhaven, Mississippi where he and seven siblings grew up; he attended Loyd Star High School and Copiah Lincoln Junior College. He was a member of the 1963 Loyd Star State Championship Basketball team. He is survived by his wife of 28 years, Candis Loreen Smith, a daughter Shanna Lynette Stout and her spouse, Alan Kirk Stout, a son, Chad Carroll Smith, of Houston, TX, a stepson , Brandon Dale Rush of New York and five grandchildren, Caroline Elizabeth Stout, Evan Ross Stout, Catherine Anne Stout, Madeline Grace Stout, and Carli Rose Smith all of Houston. He is also survived by his siblings John B. Smith, Veta Covington and Bonita Bullock of Brookhaven, MS; Mike Smith of College Station, TX; and Valerie Hill of Baton Rouge, LA. He was preceded in death by brothers Larry and Charles Smith, both of Brookhaven. Carroll was an avid sports fan who loved watching football, basketball, and baseball and spent many afternoons occupying his favorite place known as Carroll’s Corner to watch or listen to the broadcast of a game, but was even fonder of attending in person. He favored fishing and golf for his leisure time and had many stories to tell anyone who would listen. He served in the Army National Guard. Carroll will be missed, but not forgotten. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 24, at 1:00 pm with a preceding visitation at 12:00 pm at the Macedonia Baptist Church in Brookhaven, MS. A second memorial gathering will be held on Sunday, April 25 at 1:00 pm, at Lakelawn Cemetery All Saints Mausoleum in New Orleans, LA where he will be interred. In lieu of flowers a donation can be made to the American Heart Association on the Carroll P. Smith memorial webpage.