Willie Edward Smith

Willie was raised on the family farm in Kelso Tennessee, where he acquired his love of growing and cultivating the land. He attended elementary school in Kelso, graduating from West End High School in 1954 in Fayetteville Tennessee, where Willie was a member of the choir, song leader, played on the football team, the secretary of the national farmers group, NFA, and was voted the “Most Popular” boy of the senior class. He went on to graduate from Tennessee State University, Nashville Tn., obtaining his bachelor’s degree in agriculture. He also received his teaching credentials from the University of California, Los Angeles.

In 1958, Willie married his high school sweetheart Mae Frances, and moved to Los Angeles, Ca, where they started their family. To this union two daughters were born, Pamela Jean and Sharon Kamela. He prospered working for the city of Los Angeles, until 1968, when he moved back to his beloved Tennessee. Then in 2017, he moved back again to California, to be with his daughters and grandchildren becoming a resident of the city of Moreno Valley.

Willie accepted Christ at an early age and was an active member of the Figueroa Church of Christ in Los Angeles CA., and then moving back to Tennessee, for the majority of his life, a faithful member of the Mayberry Street Church of Christ in Fayetteville Tennessee. His love for the lord was true, pure, and immense.

Willie moved to his heavenly home on March 11, 2024, joining his beloved wife, father, mother, sister and brother. He leaves to mourn, his two daughters, Pamela Cunningham (Ernest), of Moreno Valley CA., Sharon Williams (Keith), of Long Beach CA, 3 granddaughters, Davina Cunningham Johnson, (Cedric) of Los Angeles CA., Princess Denmon of Long Beach, CA., Bethany Cunningham Carr of Chino California, 6 great-grand children, Maiyanah and Cha’san Haynes, of Long Beach CA., Schylar and Piper Johnson, of Los Angeles, CA, Zayden Carr and Zylo Hulse of Chino CA., 2 nieces, Delicia Smith, of Temple City CA., Sonja Gwinn Brewton of Mason Tn.,1 nephew, Devin Smith of Temple City, CA and two sisters-in-law. Dorothy Webb of Fayetteville TN, Bonnie Smith of Temple City, CA. And host of relatives and friends. He will truly be missed!

Funeral Service will be held at Mayberry Street Church of Christ

412 Mayberry St. Fayetteville, TN 37334

On Friday March 29th at 1:00 PM