Clarence William Smith Jr.

He was born at Black Eagle Coal Camp on August 1, 1941, to Clarence W. Smith, Sr. and Beulah Eads Smith. The family was complete with the addition of his baby sister, Lynn, in 1946. Clarence, Sr. moved the family back to Beckley, West Virginia, after the war. He grew up hunting and fishing on the Greenbriar River, playing sports and meeting lifelong friends like Duke James, Gene Harvey and Buzzy Ragland.

After graduating Woodrow Wilson High School his flirtation began with the military. He attended Greenbrier Military School where he received top academic honors and was a member of the Owl’s Club. He went on to West Virginia University where he joined Sigma Nu Fraternity. He also met a Delta Gamma named Marian. They would get married, join the Army and produce two children, Christine and Stephen.

Smitty would spend 2 tours of duty in Vietnam saying, “I volunteered the second time so I could go back and confirm it was as screwed up as I remembered.” Upon returning and while being stationed in Fort Leonardwood, Missouri, he would attain a Master’s in Business Administration and put it to good use the rest of his 23-year military career and into his 17-year career at the University of Florida.

He would marry Elaine Jones in 1979 and gain a stepson, Greg, and a stepdaughter, Gayla. He was stationed in Germany towards the end of his career where he was an accomplished skeet shooter, even being a member of the Armed Forces European Skeet Shooting Championship team. He would retire at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 1988. He would move the family to Gainesville, Florida where he would hold 3 top senior management positions - he always enjoyed the challenge of fixing a “mess”; he was really good at it.

After retiring fully, he made his lake house his full-time residence where he so loved to go fishing, catching many fish, even hooking and catching a 13 lb. bass (pictures available upon request ;-). He also dove headlong into the antique fishing tackle collecting where he could relive his most cherished years as a boy fishing with his father and friends on the Greenbriar River. He maintained his membership as a Freemason in Beckley Lodge No. 95 up to his passing. In 2010 he decided to start spending half his time in Kansas City to be close to his kids, grandkids and lifelong co-parent, Marian. He moved to Kansas City full time in 2018 and spent his last 2 ½ years at McCrite Assisted Living Center. He was in good spirits and enjoyed playing cards, watching sports, making people laugh with never ending one-liners, and mostly loved catching up on the “going on's” with his kids and grandkids.

He lived fully, served his country well, loved family, and was complete. He was all Leo and would always protect those who could not protect themselves; if you made the cut he adopted you into his Pride.

We love you Dad, Pap, Smitty, Clarence, Uncle Clarence and feel so very lucky to have had you in our world. Until we meet again...

He will be laid to rest with full military honors on October 24, 2024, at Leavenworth National Cemetery.

He is survived by his former wife and close friend, Marian, daughter, Christine, son, Stephen (daughter-in-law, Angie), stepdaughter, Gayla, stepson, Greg, grandchildren, Connor and Tatum, nephew, Jay O’Brien, brother-in-law, Bill O’Brien, sister-in-law, Sue Jones, niece, Norah Jones, and many friends.

He is preceded in death by his wife of 17 years, Elaine, father, Clarence Sr., mother, Beulah (Wootie), sister Lynn O’Brien.