Extracted from The Shreveport Times (Shreveport, LA)
Saturday, October 10, 2009

John Ray Smelley

LEWISVILLE, AR -- John Ray Smelley, age 67, of Lewisville, AR, died Friday, October 9, 2009 at Arkansas Hospice Center in Little Rock, AR. He was born October 4, 1942 to the late Delton Ray Smelley and Leola Higginbotham Smelley in New Boston, TX.

Mr. Smelley was General Manager for SWAECC for 24 years, a rancher and poultry grower for 38 years. He was a member and Deacon at Canfield Baptist Church, Fire Chief for Mars Hill Volunteer Fire Department and was serving a second term on the Red River Levee Board.

He was preceded in death by a grandchild, Kayla Lee.

Survivors include his wife, Betty Sue Smelley of Lewisville, AR; son, Ricky Wayne Smelley and wife, Stephanie Powell Smelley of Stamps, AR; daughter, Vickie Rae Lee and husband, Terry Lee of Lewisville, AR; brother, Lonnie Smelley of Clark, NJ; sisters, Linda Wiggins of Bismark, AR, Doris Kay Wehr of Houston, TX and Kathy Ann Rogers of Shreveport, LA; three grandchildren, Johnallan Lee and Savannah Lee of Lewisville, AR and Elizabeth Smelley of Stamps, AR; and a number of nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, October 11, 2009 at Smith Funeral Home Chapel in Stamps with Rev. Tim Harper, Rev. Jerry Hutchings and Rev. Charles Bell officiating with burial in Rock Springs Cemetery between Garland and Texarkana under the direction of Smith Funeral Home. Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home in Stamps.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Canfield Baptist Church or St. Jude Childrens Hospital.

The family will be at the home of Terry Lee in Lewisville, AR.

Smith Funeral Home
870-533-4406