Dave William Smith Jr. went home to be with Jesus on January 9, 2023 at 1:20 pm. He was surrounded by his loving family when he passed from this life to the next.
Born on February 19, 1950, Dave was raised by his parents with his sisters on a farm on Horn Springs Road in Lebanon, TN, where he lived almost his entire life.
As a young boy, he and his sisters milked cows and shelled 100 ears of corn daily to feed the chickens, all before going to school. They also helped their parents with the other farm animals and crops. Growing up in the ’50s and ’60s, his entire family was very involved in the 4-H Club organization. Dave showed lambs, sheep, and cattle. He participated in electric projects and public speaking. He won multiple ribbons and awards throughout grade school and high school.
He graduated from Lebanon High School and attended Cumberland University for a short period of time before he went on to the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. He then joined the Army National Guard and served his country for 6 years.
Dave started working at Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Cooperative in Lebanon in 1972, and he built many lifelong friendships with his co-workers there.
In 1999, he began playing golf at the Lebanon Golf and Country Club, which became his favorite sport very quickly. He went straight from retirement at MTEMC to playing golf every day he possibly could. He also helped with lots of projects at the club through the years, and he served as President of the Board. He loved all of his golf buddies, and he couldn’t wait to see them when he got to the course each day.
Dave was a true outdoorsman. He loved hunting deer and turkey and going to Colorado with friends to hunt. He also enjoyed hiking, and he made several trips with his son Clint and other friends and family members. He was a member of the Broken Arrow Archery Club and a group known as “The Hunting Group”. He loved his outdoorsman friends as well, and they spent many holidays and birthdays together.
Dave grew up in a wonderful Christian home. He said he never remembered not knowing the Lord. His precious mother read the Bible to him and his sisters every morning at breakfast, and his daddy prayed to start their day. He faithfully attended church his entire life. His mother played the organ at Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and his sisters continue to be very active in church as do his children.
In recent years, he was a member at the College Hills Church of Christ, participating in Life Group, the Welcome Ministry and Security.
More than anything, he loved his wife, kids and grandkids. He was so proud of his family. He enjoyed when everyone was together, and he loved playing games and visiting with them. He thought his grandchildren were the smartest kids ever, and he was always telling them how proud he was of them.
Dave is survived by his wife of 51 years, Jo Clemmons Smith; daughter Jody Smith Gore with husband Chuck; son Dave Clinton Smith with wife Brandy; grandchildren Abbey and Austen Gore and Madelyn and Owen Smith; sisters Ruby Lynn Steele, Margaret Ivy Hyde (George), and twin sister Mary Beth Malone.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Dave William Smith Sr. and Elsie Margaret Ivy Smith, and brothers in law, Ron Steele and Tony Malone; his Father in Law and Mother in Law, John and Christine Clemmons, and granddaughter, Cayley Jewell Gore.
Dave was a joy to be around, and he was loved by all who knew him. He always liked to cut up and have fun, and he cared deeply for his friends. He loved the Tennessee Vols, country music, and being outside. He knew how to do pretty much anything that needed to be done, and he was glad to help others anytime he could. He will be sorely missed by his family and friends, but we know he is in a better place just getting everything ready for the rest of us to get there.
Visitation will be held on Friday, January 13, 2023 from 4 p.m.-8 p.m. at College Hills Church of Christ, 1401 Leeville Pk., Lebanon. Funeral services will be Saturday, January 14, 2023 at 11 a.m. with visitation one hour prior to the service at the church. Dr. Kevin Owen will officiate and interment will follow in the Wilson County Memorial Gardens.
Pall Bearers are: Casey Moore, Chris Mitchell, Jason Hyde, Will Steele, Tony Watson, Tommy Martin, Austen Gore and Owen Smith.
Honorary Pall Bearers are: Carl and Cindi Irwin; David Major; Larry and Pam Tomlinson; the Hunting Group and their wives; Lebanon Country Club Golf Buddies; Reed and Kathy Henley; College Hills Life Group; Frank Gailbreath, and the Broken Arrow Archery Club
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Healing Hands International for the Agriculture Program, 455 McNally Drive, Nashville, TN 37211-3311.
PARTLOW FUNERAL CHAPEL in care of arrangements 615-444-7007 https://partlowchapel.com
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