Obituaries

Okla Bennett Smith

Photo of Okla Bennett Smith
Okla Bennett Smith passed this life on Sept. 15 2017. He was born on July 27, 1941, in Fort Smith the son of Okla Homer & Creo Belle Smith. He attended public schools in Fort Smith and graduated from Culver Military Academy in Culver, Ind., attended Vanderbilt University and was associated with the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, and graduated from the University of Arkansas. He spent two years in the Army Signal Corps as a Lieutenant before joining his family's furniture manufacturing business. He was a Board member and past president of the Fort Smith Boys and Girls Club, a 2012 inductee of the Fort Smith Boys & Girls Club Hall of Fame, former board member and past president of Hardscrabble Country Club, former board member and secretary of Sparks Regional Medical Center. As a life long member of the Masonic Order, he was a York Rite Mason, 33rd Degree Scottish Rite Mason, Shriner, and member of the Royal Order of Jesters. He especially enjoyed Razorback games with his wife, sons, and grandsons. In addition, his favorite past time was duck hunting and fishing with his sons, grandsons, and hunting club friends at Bayo Meto. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Elinor Duschl Smith, his sons, Okla Duschl Smith, Oklahomer F. Smith, his wife Zoe, two grandsons, Okla Bennett Smith II, and Sutton Weatherley Smith all of Fort Smith. He is also survived by his twin sister Creo Lynne Smith of Southlake, Texas. He was preceded in death by his parents and sister Sandra Sue Smith Garner. To Oak, Homer, Zoe, Okla Ben, II, Sutton, I love you all and especially ELINOR, I LOVE YOU!!!! There will be public graveside service (as Okla Ben would say a Drop Down) at Forest Park Cemetery on Monday, Sept 18, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home. Pall Bearers will be Granville Harper, Charles B. Whiteside III, Larry E. Lichty, Robert M. Powell, Dr. E. Walden Williams, George H. Davis, J. D. Simpson III, John Grobmyer, Jim East, Lynn Mayhan, Dana Rabideau, Tim English, and Joe Dicky Powers. The family will receive friends in the First Presbyterian Church Gymnasium following the Graveside Service. Memorials may be made to the Fort Smith Boys and Girls Clubs 4905 North O Street Fort Smith, Ark. 72904 To sign an online guestbook visit www.edwardsfuneralhome.com.

Published September 17, 2017

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