Funeral services for Leroy Smith, 91, of Burke will be held at 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 31, 2021 in the Gipson Funeral Home Chapel with Brother Joe Sawyer officiating. Interment will follow in the Garden of Memories Memorial Park.
Mr. Smith was born August 2, 1929 in Manning, Texas, the son of the late Charles E. Smith and Mattie (Johnson) Smith. He passed away Saturday, March 27, 2021 in a local hospital.
Mr. Smith was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He was an avid outdoorsman and spent years down at Ryan’s Lake Hunting Club fishing and hunting with his family. He loved gardening, having multiple gardens every summer, calling on all the kids and grandkids to lend a helping hand when it came time to pick the garden. Many memories were made while shelling peas and shucking corn on the breezeway in Zavalla. He spent many seasons in the hayfield with all the boys bailing and hauling thousands of square bales of hay. He retired from Temple Inland following 40+ years of employment. He was a Deacon of Johnson Missionary Baptist Church in Zavalla and a member of the Burke Masonic Lodge.
Survivors include his daughter, Carolyn Smith of Burke; son and daughter-in-law, Roy and Jo Smith of Burke; son and daughter-in-law, Donald (Skeeter) and Teresa Smith of Lufkin; son and daughter-in-law, Jody and Tricia Smith of Burke; grandchildren and spouses, Jonathan Smith of Burke, Tisha and Clint Powers of Hudson, Marci and Robert Fenner of Burke, Lynsie and Ross Skinner of Pollok, Krystal and Andrew Weeks of Burke, Tray and Shelby Smith of Colmesneil, Jade Price and Johnathon Temple of Burke; great-grandchildren, Kimberly and Bradley Fenner, Rance and Cayne Powers, Dalton Sandoval, Cole Smith, J.J. Pope, Kade Skinner, C.J. and Braelyn Weeks, and Payton Smith and a number of nieces, nephews and other relatives.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his loving wife of 64 years, Betty Jo Smith; daughter-in-law, Kim Smith; and his siblings.
Pallbearers: Robert Fenner, Bradley Fenner, Andrew Weeks, Tray Smith, Jonathan Smith, Ross Skinner.
Honorary Pallbearers: (great grandsons) Dalton Sandoval, Cayne Powers, Rance Powers, Cole Smith, Kade Skinner, and C.J. Weeks.
The family will welcome friends and loved ones from 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Wednesday afternoon at Gipson Funeral Home Chapel prior to the services.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Mr. Smith’s memory may be made to Hospice in the Pines, 1504 W. Frank Avenue, Lufkin, TX 75904.
Services have been placed in the trust of Gipson Funeral Home.
