Roscoe Franklin Smith was born April 29, 1938 to Edgar and Ruth Smith and passed away January 10, 2020. He graduated from Fort Smith High School in 1957 and married his high school sweetheart, Delores Lanelle Kagan on September 23, 1957. He joined the US Navy on July 5, 1957 and was honorably discharged July 3, 1961. During his naval tour he was stationed to the USS Putnam (DD-757) Destroyer. He worked at Russell Beldon Electric after the Navy before joining the Fort Smith Police Department in 1968 as a Patrol Officer and was promoted to Sergeant of Narcotics in 1974. He then moved to the Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office in 1977. He retired from law enforcement and went to work for W.W. Grainger as an outside sales representative until retirement. He moved to Las Vegas with Delores to live it up for a few years before moving back to Greenwood to be with family. He was preceded in death of his wife of 61 years, Delores Smith.
He is survived by his son, Rusty Smith and wife, Terri of Greenwood; daughter, Pam Baker and husband, Billy of Springdale; grandchildren, Hayden Smith, Garrett Smith and Colt Rogers of Greenwood, Melissa Lawrence and Billy Baker, II of Springdale; five great grandchildren; three great great grandchildren; his brother, Billie Jack Smith and wife, Gen of Newfoundland, Canada; sister, Barbara Norman and husband, Carroll of Fort Smith and last but not least his faithful and spoiled lapdog, Molly.
Funeral service will be 1 p.m., Wednesday, January 15 at McConnell Funeral Home Chapel in Greenwood with burial at the U.S. National Cemetery in Fort Smith. Viewing will be 12 – 8 p.m. on Tuesday at the funeral home.
