Mr. James Richard Smith, Jr. of Andalusia passed away Friday, June 10, 2022, at UAB Hospital.
Funeral services will be held 10 a.m., Tuesday, June 14, 2022, at Keahey Funeral Home Chapel. The family will receive friends one hour prior to services. Rev. Larry Smith and Rev. Roy Smith will officiate. Special music will be provided by C.L. Smith, Kylie Riley and Danny Cheek. Interment will follow at 2:30 p.m., on Tuesday, in the Alabama State Veterans Memorial Cemetery with U.S. Navy honors (34904 Al. Hwy. 225, Spanish Fort, AL). Serving as pallbearers will be Caleb Riley, Jacob Long, Matt Stanley, Rinkey Stanley, Steve Long, and Jerry Myers.
Left to cherish his memory, loving wife of 30 years, Martha Bush Smith; his parents, James Richard Smith, Sr. and Mary Evelyn Teate Smith; son, Steve Long of Andalusia; daughters, Cindy Myers (Jerry) of Andalusia; Amanda Warmack; sister, Sheila Stanley (Rinkey) of Opp; grandchildren, Amber Myers, Lance Myers, Jacob Long, Sarah Long, Kylie Riley and Caleb Riley. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Covington County Cancer Freeze.
A 1969 graduate of Andalusia High School, James was the first student to enroll at LBW College in Andalusia. He served 2 years in the U.S. Navy and worked 35 years in Civil Service at Ft. Rucker as a helicopter fire fighter, retiring in 2008. He was a member of Grace Baptist Church in McKenzie, a Mason and for several years a volunteer with the Beat-8 Volunteer Fire Department. He loved spending time with his family and was an avid deer and turkey hunter, with turkey hunting being his passion.