Wayne E. Smith, the son of Homer and Ethel (Belew) Smith, was born on January 20, 1932 at Summersville, Missouri. He passed away May 8, 2025 at his home in Summersville, Missouri at the age of 93.
Wayne grew up in the rural Summersville area and attended Oak Hill Elementary and Summersville High Schools.
He was united in marriage to Betty McDowell in September of 1951 and two their union one daughter was born, Pamela.
Wayne entered the Army on September 23, 1952 and served during the Korean War. While there, he received a back injury and suffered with the pain all his life. Nonetheless, he was very proud of his time in the military and wore his Korean Veteran cap proudly everywhere he went. He was awarded two bronze stars for his service.
He worked as an over-the-road truck driver for many years, driving for various trucking companies. Of the ones he drove for, he enjoyed Mayflower the best. He was awarded plaques for both 5 years and 10 years of driving with no accidents.
Wayne was a member of the Summersville First Baptist Church. He accepted Christ at a young age and was baptized in the Jack’s Fork River.
Wayne loved fishing and camping with his nephew Randy Smith and friend Mike. On his last day in the hospital, Wayne and Mike were cooking up a fishing trip. Wayne was so excited! Oh the stories he could tell about his trips. He, Randy and Mike spent many weekends telling tales and enjoying big fish fries. Wayne also loved getting into his side-by-side and driving to the pond on his farm. It was a favorite place for deer to hang out and he enjoyed just sitting quietly, watching them. He was also known to sometimes slip the deer some grain! Another thing he loved was driving his pickup around town and on the backroads. He could tell you every person that had ever lived in each old house along the way, even if the house had been gone for years. Wayne loved to tell family stories and reminisce. His stories were just as good if you heard them once or a dozen times. But you had better have listened closely though, because he liked to add things just to see if you were listening! Farming was another of his greatest joys, especially when it was time to put up hay.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Homer and Ethel (Belew) Smith; his grandson, William “Billy” Henley; brothers, Ernest and Lawrence Smith; sisters, Beulah Smith Bryant and husband George and Wanda Smith McNeal and huband Don; sister-in-law Linda Lou Smith; his longtime companion, Leona Pesek and a nephew Larry Dean Smith.
Wayne is survived by his daughter Pam Karr and her husband Nick; brothers, Merle, Ronnie and Harold Smith as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and many friends.
Always a jokester, Wayne named his little piece of heaven on earth, “Oleo Acres, one of the cheaper spreads.” He will be missed by all who knew and loved him.
In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests donations in Wayne’s memory to the Summersville Senior Center.
