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Services for Billy Wayne Smith of Bokchito, who passed away Sunday, Oct. 19, 2008, at the Bonham VA Nursing Home in Bonham, Texas, will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at the First Baptist Church of Bokchito. Bro. Preston Burns, Chaplain George Cooper and Tom Redwine will officiate.
Billy was born on Aug. 26, 1930, in Wade to Herman Ernest Smith and Mary Emma Ticknor. He graduated from Durant High School in 1949, where he lettered in football, track and basketball, and was inducted into the National Athletic Honor Society. He was a member of the Durant American Legion Championship Team of 1947.
He served our country in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War from 1952-1955 in San Diego, Calif., Tacoma, Wash., and Guam. In the Navy, he was a member of the SAF baseball team, where he was selected to the Navy All Stars.
While on leave, Billy Wayne met Ollieta Jean Easter at a local dance. After his service in the Navy, they were married June 16, 1956, in Bokchito. On April 26, 1957, while he was a student at Southeastern State College, he and Ollieta caused quite a stir by having the first all-girl triplets in Bryan County. Even with his new family, Billy Wayne continued his education, receiving his Bachelors of Science degree and Masters of Science degree from Southeastern.
He started his teaching career at Durant Middle School in 1959, and when his students graduated to the high school he followed. While at Durant High School, he coached football, basketball and track. In 1963-65, he coached participants in the State Junior Olympics and the AAU 880 Relay National Team in 1963. In 1966, the Durant High School track team won the state championship, breaking the track meet record, with 11 students breaking school or state records.
He continued his coaching career in Tishomingo from 1966-1969. From 1969-1973, he coached football and baseball at Lawton MacArthur in Lawton, where the 1973 football team was state runner-up. After teaching and coaching for one year in Texhoma, he retired and returned to Bokchito to help with the family business.
While living in Bokchito, he was an active member of the community, serving on the city council, including a term as mayor. He was a member of the Durant Elks Lodge, the Bokchito Lions Club, Durant American Legion and the Masonic Lodge No. 253 in Bokchito. In the spring of this year, he received recognition for his 50 years of service in the Masonic lodge, DAV and 32nd degree Mason from the Scottish Rite Temple in McAlester.
He was a member of the Bokchito First Baptist Church and men's Sunday School class. As a resident of the VA nursing home, he was a faithful participant in the chapel services and Bible studies. At the VA, he was known as "Coach," and with his decorated OU Sooner room, he always told people he was in Bonham to do missionary work for the Sooners.
He was a member of the Oklahoma Education Association and believed that he was always a teacher who just happened to coach. He was an avid supporter of Bryan County sports, especially Rock Creek High and American Legion baseball.
He was preceded in death by his parents, stepfather Billy Neeley and three stepsisters.
Billy Wayne is survived by his wife of the home; daughters Terrie Keck and husband Bill of Marlow, Sherrie Stout and husband Hal of Norman and Jerrie Goforth of Bokchito; sister Alva Dean Sweeney and husband John of Durant; stepsister Rene Harris of Emory, Texas, and nephew Johnny Wayne Sweeney of Monroe, La. He was very proud of his four grandchildren: Derek Goforth and wife Jordan of Ardmore, Ryan Keck of Alva, Tanner Keck of Marlow and Kassidy Goforth of Bokchito. He is also survived by an extended group of loving family and friends.
Interment will be in the Bokchito Civic Cemetery, with military and Masonic honors, under the direction of Dalton-Holmes Funeral Home. Pallbearers will be former students Larry Nabors, Dickie Kidd, Butch Arnett, Simon Poljakow, Gary Oliver, Mike Pyler, Tommy Grider, James Bryant and Johnny Wayne Sweeney.
Honorary pallbearers will be Leonard Morgan, Ross Phillips, Lance Patterson and the men's Sunday School class of Bokchito First Baptist of Bokchito.
Family hour will be from 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Dalton-Holmes Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the Bokchito Civic Cemetery, P.O. Box 311, or to the Bokchito First Baptist Church Building Fund, P.O. Box 82, both of Bokchito, Oklahoma 74726.
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