M. Cleoh Smith

Cleoh was born to Oren Oscar Smith and Mamie Taylor Smith, October 21, 1922, and was raised on a small farm near Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He was very involved with 4-H as a child and as a young man. He attended the National 4-H Encampment in Washington, D.C., in 1941, and worked in the Department of Agriculture until the fall semester began at University of Arkansas. He received a scholarship from Sears, Roebuck and Company to attend the university, and through personal recommendation, worked on campus at the Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture. Cleoh was also selected for the honorary fraternities of Alpha Zeta, Blue Key, and Phi Sigma for outstanding leadership among college men.

In the early years of the 1940s, WWII was building, and Cleoh enrolled in advanced ROTC and was then inducted into active duty in 1943, putting college on hold.

He served as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army, First Army, 8th Armored Division, in the European theater from 1943 to 1946, commanding a platoon of tanks. Cleoh Smith received the Bronze Star for heroic actions in Germany on April 12, 1945, against enemy forces. After hostilities ended, he continued working in France and Germany in various roles for the Army, securing rental properties for the Armed Services, and at one time, leading a unit that maintained military vehicles and supplies.

After returning state side, Cleoh continued his service in the Army Reserves, serving until April 1953, achieving the rank of Captain.

Cleoh returned to the University of Arkansas in 1946 and finished his degree, graduating with a BS in Agriculture. He continued his studies at then Oklahoma A&M in Stillwater, Oklahoma (currently known as Oklahoma State University). He completed his MS in Animal Science following the summer session of 1948.

In 1951, Cleoh and Joan Kulbeth Smith married, moved to Pine Bluff, and started a family. He taught Vocational Agriculture to veterans and started a small dairy operation.

He went to work for Cameron Feed Mills in 1956, moved to Russellville, Arkansas, with Joan and three children (Kim, Martin, and Karen). They then moved to Hope, Arkansas, where they added two more children (Robin and Paul Quint). In 1963, the family moved to Fort Worth, Texas, and then on to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in 1966, where he was based for American Cyanamid until his retirement at the age of sixty-five.

They were also very involved in their church Grace United Methodist Church, the Boy Scouts of America, the Girl Scouts of America, and in AFS, an organization for hosting high school foreign exchange students. Cleoh and Joan hosted five students in their home from Spain, Brazil, Costa Rica, Holland, and Germany.

When Cleoh and Joan retired in 1987, they traveled extensively around the United States and beyond, enjoying traveling with friends and family, and seeing other friends and family around the world. Cleoh was also very involved in the Oklahoma Pigeon Association (OPA) and the Central Oklahoma Bonsai Society (COBS) in Oklahoma City.

Cleoh and Joan were married for 71 years. They raised five very confident and independent children, who have blessed them with thirteen grandchildren, fourteen great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.chapelhill-okc.com for the Smith family.