J L Smith

JL Smith, 88, of Abilene, Texas and most recently of Corsicana, Texas, passed away on July 13, 2015 in Corsicana, Texas. Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 pm on Friday July 17, 2015 at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road in Abilene. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 am on Saturday, July 18, 2015 at First Baptist Church Chapel of Abilene with Dr. Phil Christopher of First Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will follow at Elliott-Hamil Garden of Memories. Arrangements are by The Hamil Family Funeral Home in Abilene. JL Smith was born in Brooksmith, Texas to Melvin and Ruby Smith on November 19, 1926. He went to school in Brooksmith and at Stephenville Agricultural College. He married Merle Stoval on June 30, 1951 in Brownwood, Texas and later married Reba Boyd in Abilene in August of 1998. He worked as an engineer for Southwestern Bell for 37 years before retiring. He was a veteran of World War II and served in the Army. He was involved in the Lions Club and was a deacon of the First Baptist Church. JL was preceded in death by his first wife Merle Stoval Smith in 1997, his second wife Reba Boyd Smith in 2013, his brother Dennis Smith and sister Wanda Smith Weaver. JL is survived by his daughter Kris and her husband John Gantt, his son Joel and his wife Melissa Smith, Reba’s children Bill and Tandy Boyd, Suzanne and Lloyd Alcorn, Judith Daniels, and Crosby and Janna Boyd; his sister Ruth Maxine Dickerson; and grandchildren Laura Eakin, Melissa Pinson, Greyson Smith, and Tanner Smith. Memorials may be given to the JL and Reba Boyd Smith Scholarship in Church Music at Hardin Simmons University or the ministries of the First Baptist Church in Abilene.