Beech Tree News Network

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye have love one to another. —John 13:35

Dewey Lee “Pete” Smith, Sr., age 94, of Morgantown, Kentucky, passed away on Saturday, March 31, 2018, at the Medical Center in Bowling Green.  He was born on June 3, 1923, in Brooklyn, Kentucky to the late Girlie Lee Smith and the late Dewey Mae Ingram Smith. On February 26, 1944, he married Helen Reid Gidcumb, and after the birth of their first child was drafted to serve in a special army attachment to protect President Franklin D. Roosevelt until the end of World War II.

After the war, he began a string of successful family businesses and devoted his time to sustaining his church and his community through multiple leadership roles. As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he served as branch president, ward bishop, and stake high councilman. While he was serving the Lord, he was also working to build his community by serving on the first Morgantown City Council, the first Butler County Volunteer Fire Department, and the first Butler County Band Boosters where he was vice president and helped to hire and pay for the first band director--Mr. Charles T. Black.

Beyond his church and his community, his greatest love was for his Savior, Jesus Christ and for his wife of 74 years. He was a wonderful father, grandfather, and great-grandfather who showed unconditional love to his family and friends with his warm personality and contagious smile. He was an avid fan of UK basketball, John Wayne, and Diet Coke.

Dewey Lee “Pete” Smith is survived by his wife, Helen Reid Gidcumb Smith, six children--  LoRei Smith DeWeese (Danny) of Morgantown; Dora “Gaylene” Smith Johnson (Laymon) of Morgantown; Joanna Smith Embry (Bobby) of Hodgenville; Jerelyn Smith Young (Jon) of Morgantown; Dewey “Lee” Smith, Jr. (Marissa) of Morgantown; Margina Smith Russell (Benn) of Florence, foster son Wayne Ashley (Wilanna) of San Antonio, Texas, several grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, and nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, Girlie Lee and Dewey Mae Smith; his siblings, Eva Smith Forsythe, Erdine Smith Johnson, Pauline Smith, and Margie Smith Vance; his granddaughter, Jerianna Muth Lauyans; and one great-great-granddaughter, Kenzleigh Rae Dockery.

Funeral services will be held Friday, April 6, 2018, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 11:00 a.m. on Logansport Rd, Morgantown, KY. Burial will be held in the Dan Johnson Cemetery where military rights will be presented. Visitation will be held on Thursday, April 5, 2018, from 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm and Friday 8:00 am - 10:00 am at the Jones Funeral Chapel. Please share any photos, memories, condolences or light a candle in memory of Pete at www.jonesfuneralchapel.com