Lester Ray Smith

Lester Ray Smith, age 74 of Hermitage, Missouri passed away on Wednesday evening, October 27, 2010 at his home following a long illness. He was born August 25, 1936 in Kansas City, Kansas to Lester H. Smith and Minnie E. (McKain) Smith. His siblings included one brother and five sisters. He married Betty S. Bond on November 18, 1955 in Kansas City, Kansas and to this union seven children were born. The family originally lived in Shawnee, Kansas where Lester served two years in the Kansas National Guard, and served with the Shawnee Kansas Volunteer Fire Department. Lester worked in maintenance for the General Motors Training Center in Shawnee, Kansas for 29 years prior to his retirement in 1995. In 1980 the family moved to Hermitage, Missouri. He was a member of the St. Bernadettes Catholic Church in Hermitage. Throughout his life he enjoyed a love of antique automobiles, country and bluegrass music, upholstering and refinishing antique furniture. Lester is survived by his wife of 54 years, Betty Smith of the home, son, Mike Smith and his wife Lori of Eudora, Kansas, son, Larry Smith and his wife Betty of Shawnee, Kansas, son, Rick Smith and his wife Bonnie of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, daughter, Lisa Meredith and her husband Mick of Bolivar, Missouri, son, Tom Smith and his wife Theresa of Hermitage, Missouri, daughter, Karen Rendall and her husband David of Phillipsburg, Missouri, daughter, Kristie Hagg and her husband Robert of Bolivar, Missouri, 25 grandchildren, Shaun Smith and his wife Devon, Nicole Smith, Clint Schermerhorn, Larry Smith, Jr., Meghan Smith, Jessica Johnson and her husband Robert, Justin Smith, Heather Smith, Jessie Shepardson, Becky Shepardson, Josh Shepardson, Cody Shepardson, Mickayla Meredith, Lydia Meredith, Brant Meredith, Brittany Smith, Colleen Smith, Andrew Smith, Joshua Addison, Kara Howard and her husband Andrew, Sarah Sallee, Jack Rendall, Ashley Hagg, Mariah Hagg, Kanyon Hagg, 13 great grandchildren, Anni Smith, Luci Smith, Malik Woods, Bridget Schermerhorn, Anthony Schermerhorn, Nathaniel Johnson, Brandon Johnson, Tygar Johnson, Kayan Smith, Mackenzie Smith, Kolton Smith, Hunter Smith and Tracen Howard. A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00am, Saturday, October 30, 2010 at St. Bernadettes Catholic Church in Hermitage, Missouri under the care and direction of the Butler Funeral Home in Bolivar, Missouri. Music will be Take My Hand Precious Lord by Elvis Presley, a congregational song, How Great Thou Art and Go Rest High On That Mountain by Stanley McCoy. Burial will follow at Payne Cemetery in Polk, Missouri where Mike Clayton will play on the fiddle, Blue Moon Of Kentucky. The grandchildren and great grandchildren will have a balloon release at the cemetery at the conclusion of the graveside service. A visitation will be held from 5:00-7:00pm, Friday evening at the Butler Funeral Home in Bolivar, Missouri where there will be playing a video presentation during that time. Pallbearers will be Justin Smith, Meghan Smith, Joshua Addison, Larry Smith, Jr., Josh Shepardson and Darin Newman. Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimers association or to the Citizens Memorial Hospital Hospice Program. Friends and family may sign the guest book or send private condolences at www.butlerfuneralhome.com PDF Printable Version

Lester Ray Smith

August 25, 1936 - October 27, 2010