Obituaries 03-20-25

LEE ROY SMITH II

Nov. 11, 1954-March 13, 2025

Lee Roy Smith, 70, died on Thursday, March 13, 2025 at King's Daughters 
Hospital in Brookhaven. At his request, no celebration or life service 
is being conducted.

Born on Nov. 11, 1954 in Baton Rouge, La., he spent his childhood and 
teenage years growing up in Gloster. He graduated high school from Pine 
Hills Academy in 1972.

In 1988, he enlisted in the Army National Guard at the age of 34 years 
old. In September of 1990, he served with the 162nd Military Police 
Company in Operation Desert Storm/Shield. Later, in 1993, he was Soldier 
of the Year for the Second U.S. Army Forces Command Army National Guard, 
where his picture hung in the Pentagon for a year.

He attended and graduates from Copiah-Lincoln Communiry College with an 
Associates Degree in the field of Respiratory Care. He later became a 
Neontal-Pediatrics Specialist in Respiratory Care and would go on with 
his career teaching Respiratory Care and being the Clinic Care Director 
at Co-Lin for seven years.

He was a lifelong Isshinryu martial artist, an accomplished woodcarver 
and a worker for MS-Lou Relay for Life, where he came to be known as 
"Relay Roy."

He loved people, telling stories and talking about his beloved LSU 
Tigers. He attended and was a member of the Vidalia Church of Christ. He 
was a Christian who loved to tell others about the Lord, taught the 
Ladies Bible Class for more than five years and would fill in to preach 
at worship service and teach Bible Class when called upon.

One of his favorite verses was 2 Timothy 1:12: "This what I am suffering 
as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have 
believed,a nd am convinced that He is able to guard what I have 
entrusted to Him until that day."

He is survived by his bet friend and the love of his life, his wife of 
16 years, JAckie Calcote Smith; his in-laws whom he considered as his 
scond parents, Charles and Beverly Calcote; a daughter and son-in-law, 
Amber Smith and Heath Savant; three sons and daughters-in-law, Lee Roy 
and Megan Smith II, Chase Bennett and Lacey Smith and James Connor and 
Miranda Smith; and nine grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Lee Roy and Wanzie Pickett 
Smith; a sister, Sandra Smith Townsend; his brother-in-law, Melvin 
Townsend; and a nephew, David Townsend.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to St. 
Jude Research Hospital, Tunica Humane Society or a charity of your 
choice.

An online guestbook can be signed at www.franklinfh.com.

Franklin Funeral Home of Meadville was in charge of arrangements.