A Funeral Service for Josiah "Joe" Bennett Smith, Jr. of Mountain Home, Arkansas will be 11:00 am Friday January 15, 2016 at Redeemer Lutheran Church with Reverend David Gadbaw officiating. Visitation will be Thursday January 14, 2016 from 4:00 until 7:00 pm at Kirby & Family Funeral Home Chapel. Pallbearers will be Tim Smith, Mark Smith, Steve Smith, Chris Smith, Daniel Smith and Don Iverson. Entombment will be in the Kirby's Tucker Memorial Mausoleum, Mountain Home, Arkansas.
Joe passed away January 12, 2016 in Mountain Home, Arkansas at the age of 82. He was born December 28, 1933 in Lacrosse, Wisconsin, the son of Josiah Bennett and Luella Prise Smith, Sr. He married Mary Bakkum on November 4, 1957 at Caladonia, Minnesota and worked at American Motors and then became a heating and air serviceman. Joe was a U.S. Navy veteran. He moved to Mountain Home in 1980 from Waukegan, Illinois and started the Smitty's U-Pick Berry Farm. This was the joy of his life; being able to work alongside his wife until they retired in 2003. He was a member of Redeemer Lutheran Church and active ushering, greeting and visitations.
Joe is survived by his wife, Mary Smith of Mountain Home, AR; three sons, Timothy Scott (Kim) Smith of Mountain Home, AR, Mark Bradley (Amber) Smith of Pleasant Prairie, WI and Stephen Paul (Angie) Smith of Mountain Home, AR; four grandchildren, Chris (Lara), Daniel Scott, Emily and Nicole; five great-grandchildren, Malakhi Josiah, Neahmiah Angel, Roman James, Hunter Burns and Beckett Reed; three brothers, Bob (Bonnie) Smith of Onalaska, WI, Jim (Vonne) Smith of Dunnellon, FL and Bill (Eileen) Smith of Gurnee, IL and 2 sisters, Carol Bruring Howard of Abbeville, SC and Jeannie (Mike) Volkenant of Spring Grove, MN.
He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Richard and Donald.
Memorials may be made to Redeemer Lutheran Church.
Arrangements are by Kirby and Family Funeral and Cremation Services.