William Temple Smith

He was born in Cascade, VA on August 31, 1914 to Floyd Steven Smith and Sallie Seymour Smith. He was married to Marietta Warren on June 24, 1935. In addition to his wife and parents, he was preceded in death by two sisters, Catherine S. Robertson and Jettie S. Taylor; four brothers, Irving Smith, Bartley Smith, Eugene “Gene” Smith and Thomas “Tom” Smith.

Surviving are two sisters, Mary S. Heslep of Elliston, VA and Hilda S. Weddle of Cascade, VA.

At age 17, Bill operated a small general store/service station in Cascade, owned by the late J. C. Davis, and then operated a service station at West Fork owned by the late Harold Still. In his teenage years, he was a dare-devil motorcycle rider and was the Evil Knievel of his day. When he was 21, he went to Martinsville and worked for Gardner Brothers as an automobile mechanic. During World War II he was a first class machinist and master mechanic at the Naval Gun Factory in Washington, DC. Following the war he returned to Gardner Brothers Motor Company. Later, Bill and Wilson Mason went into a partnership business operated as Smith & Mason Garage until his retirement in 1971. Following retirement he was employed by Martinsville High School assisting teachers in the vocational department.

Bill was a world traveler, having visited all the continents except Antarctica. He traveled in all fifty states, all of the Provinces of Canada and all the states in Mexico except Baja. He towed a travel trailer as far north as there is a road in Alaska and as far south as can be driven, about 60 miles south of Panama.

He was a member of McCabe Memorial Baptist Church since June 1940 where he served as Chairman of the Board of Deacons and Trustee and Chairman of the Finance Committee. He was a former member of Campers on Missions, Southern Baptist Convention. He was also a former member of the Retail Merchants Association and former President of the local chapter of The National Campers and Hikers Association.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, November 6, 2010 at 11:00 A.M. at McCabe Memorial Baptist Church with the Rev. Lewis P. Harris and Dr. J. Haywood Alcorn officiating. Interment will follow in Oakwood Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the church one hour prior to the funeral service.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to McCabe Memorial Baptist Church, 107 Clearview Drive, Martinsville, VA 24112.

Arrangements are by Collins-McKee-Stone Funeral Home, Martinsville Chapel

To express condolences on line, please visit www.collinsmckeestone.com.