Rev. William Columbus Smith Sr.Bro. BillyFuneral services for Rev. William Columbus Smith, Sr., will be held on Thursday, February 21, 2008, at 10 am, under the direction of Kilpatrick Funeral Home of Ruston.Bro.Lavelle Spillers, pastor of Weldon Baptist Church, Bro. Mike Skiles, nephew, and Bro. Robert Davis will be officiating the service. Interment will follow at Bernice City Cemetery.Visitation will be held from 5-8 p.m. on Wednesday, February 20, 2008, at Weldon Baptist Church.Pallbearers will be William C. Smith, III, Scott Shackelford, Roger Farrar, Brandon Forgey, Shane Huffstetler, and Duffy Houston. Honorary pallbearer will be Marvin Lewis Kennedy.Bro. Billy, as he was affectionately called by those who knew him, was born January 15, 1918, in Pineville, Louisiana, to Rev. Burton Calton Smith, Sr., and Emilee Alford Smith. He went home to be with the Lord on Thursday, February 19, 2008. He was one of seven children.Bro. Billy was ordained as a Southern Baptist Minister at Weldon Baptist Church in 1950. He served the Lord by pastoring several area churches throughout his life; among those are Mt. Sterling Baptist Church, Mt. Patrick Baptist Church, Weldon Baptist Church, Bethel Baptist Church, Dean Baptist Church, and Mt. Tabor Baptist Church. His favorite scriptures were John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life, and Psalm 103:1-2 Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all, that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, o my soul, and forget not all his benefits.He was a 32nd degree Mason and belonged to the Bernice Masonic Lodge # 239, F&AM, from 1945 to2008. He was a resident of Bernice for the past 63 years. He served the community as Justice of thePeace and belonged to the Bernice Business Club. He was recognized as the oldest business owner inthe town for Smith Motors, which opened its doors in 1944.Among his proudest accomplishments was his past membership on the Executive Board of the Louisiana Baptist Convention for 14 years.He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He is preceded in death by his parents B. C. and Emilee Smith; his wife of 63 years Ruby Finley Smith; his brothers B. C. Smith, Jr., and Russell Carter Smith; and his sister Thelma Smith Garris.Left to cherish his memory are his son William Columbus Smith, Jr., and wife Sharon Dove Smith of Bernice; his daughter Judith Smith Reeder and husband Woodrow Reeder, Jr., of Downsville; grandsons William Columbus Smith, III, and wife Margaret Jones Smith of Bernice; Brandon Keith Reeder and wife Megan of Downsville; granddaughters Penny Smith Houston-Farrar and husband Roger Farrar of Bernice; Stephanie Reeder Cady and husband Blain Cady of Monroe; Angela Smith Shackelford and husband Scott Shackelford of Bernice; and Jamie Smith Forgey and husband Brandon Forgey of Weatherford, Texas; great-grandsons Duffy Houston, Chase Smith, Andrew Cady and Landon Forgey; great-granddaughters Shannon Huffstetler, Sarah Cady, Ashlen Cady, Helen Forgey, Ashley Smith, and Keri Shackelford; his brother, James Carroll Smith and wife Cecil of West Monroe; sisters Elizabeth Libby Smith Borden of Spearsville and Rheida Mae Smith Skiles of DeRidder, and special friends Marvin Kennedy of Summerfield and Shane Huffstetler of Athens. NOTE OF THANKSYour every act of kindness, especially your prayers, has helped so much to sustain and comfort us in this time of need. A special thanks to Dr. D. K. Haynes, Dr. Mark Haynes, the staff at Homer Memorial Hospital, Sue Bilberry, RN and the staff of Hospice of Caring Hearts, and Professional Home Health of Bernice for their professional and tender-loving care for the last few years. A very special thank you goes to John Levingston, Gaynell Shelton, Ellerweas Lewis, and Stephana Brown for their kind and gentle care.Thank You to Bro. Lavelle Spillers, Mike Skiles, and Bro. Robert Davis for their kind words and prayers, and to Shane Huffstetler and the Weldon Church Choir for the beautiful music.The Bible says that in Heaven we will be forever in Christs glorious presence without fault and with joy. Jude 1:24No more worries, no more heartache, no more pain for Daddy who dwells in the House of the Lord. The Family of Bro. Billy Smithield
