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William Lester "Bill"
Smith
May 19, 1928 - Feb 25, 2008
Posted by Jo Aguirre
Mercer-Adams Funeral
Service
Bethany, OK
(permission granted)
William L. "Bill" Smith,
devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather,
businessman, and friend, left this earth peacefully on
February 25, 2008 to enter his eternal home. His was a
life well lived.
Bill was born May 19, 1928
to William and Mona Smith. He was raised on a farm in
Elk City before attending Panhandle State University,
where he met and married the love of his life, Joyce
Louise Phillips of Liberal, Kansas.
Bill completed his
education at Oklahoma State University, where he
graduated in 1951. After selling his interest in a Tulsa
garden supply company, he moved to Oklahoma City in1959
and founded Farm & Garden Supply, now Smith Farm &
Garden, at 3733 NW 10th Street, which continues to
thrive as a family operation, helmed by his son,
Ken Smith and grandson, Geoff Smith at the Oklahoma City
location; son, Mike Smith at the Lewisville, Texas
location; and son-in-law, Kris Stump at the Tulsa
location. His wife Joyce worked for many years by his
side, while also raising their three children, Ken, Mike
and Connie Smith Stump. Bill was rightfully proud as he
watched the modest business he established almost 50
years ago grow and prosper into a multi-location,
multi-generational family operation. And his family all
- his wife, his children and their husbands and wives
and their children - are likewise grateful for the
legacy he has left us of hard work combined with the
very brightest of entrepreneurial spirits, so rarely
found today, but which, because of him, will be carried
on, not only through his children, but through all those
he mentored through life, including his employees and
students where he taught business courses at OSU
Oklahoma City.
Bill was a great believer
in giving back to the community and church. He served as
a Deacon at Northwest Church of Christ since 1982, was
on the Board of Directors of Will Rogers Bank for over
20 years, was past president of Westside Lions Club,
past president of Oklahoma City West Association, past
president of the Oklahoma City Farm Club, served on the
Horticulture Advisory Board for Oklahoma State
University, was a member of Oklahoma Nurseryman's
Association and Oklahoma City Beautiful Association.
Bill cherished his time with his family, either "chasing
stripers" at his cabin at Texoma, calling turkey
gobblers during the spring strut, tending his vegetable
garden, cheering on his OSU Cowboys and Cowgirls, and
cheering on, always, his children and their children in
their sports and activities. He was an ever-present
force in all our lives and will live on through us.
He is survived by his
dedicated and loving wife of 58 years, Joyce of Bethany;
son, Ken and his wife Stephanie of Yukon; son, Mike and
his wife Ronda of Decatur, Texas; and daughter,
Connie Smith Stump and her husband Kris of Owasso,
Oklahoma. He leaves behind, also, six grandchildren and
three great-grandchildren: grandson, Geoff and
Cathy Smith and their sons, Austin and Garrett of Yukon;
granddaughter, Kimberly Smith Linville and Chance
Linville and their son, Luke William Linville of
Healdton; grandson, Jacob Stump and granddaughter,
Ashley Stump, both of Owasso; and grandson,
Jason Smith and granddaughter Kelsey Smith, both of
Decatur, Texas. He is survived also by his brother,
Ferrell (Ted) Smith and his wife Faye of Boise City,
Oklahoma.
We will honor and
celebrate his life Thurs., Feb. 28, 2008, at 1:00pm at
Northwest Church of Christ, 4301 NW 23rd, Oklahoma City.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the
Oklahoma Lions Club Boys Ranch, Perkins, OK. .
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