Arthur L. "Von" Smith

Wednesday, May 30, 2007 at 10:30 a.m. at the First Baptist Church Family Life Center, Vandalia, Missouri.
Officiating will be: Pastor Frank Welch.
Music provided by: the Forman family.
Interment will be in the Vandalia Cemetery.
Pallbearers: Daryle Smith, Roy Moore, Terry Joe Holt, Sammy Lee, William Barber and Leon Shaw.

Arthur LaVon "Von" Smith passed away at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, May 26, 2007 at the Audrain Medical Center in Mexico, Missouri. After graduating from Frank Clay High School in 1955, Von worked a short time at a grocery store in Frank Clay. He then worked at Granite City Steel and Brown Shoe Company in St. Louis for a couple years. Von then moved to the Vandalia area and worked at the local IGA store before starting at Harbison Walker Refractories. He worked for over 27 years at Harbison Walker as a lab technician. In 1986, began working for Bross Construction in Hannibal until his retirement in 1999. He then opened Smith Automotive with his son Alan in Vandalia. All during his life, Von was a skilled carpenter and cabinet maker and worked on may homes in the Vandalia area. He was a member of the Elm Grove Baptist Church; the Sportsman's Club in Farber; Missouri Auto Dealers Association; helped with the "chain gang" for nearly 12 years at Van-Far football games and helped coach flag football. Von enjoyed hunting, fishing and camping and was an avid sports enthusiast.

Born: March 30, 1937 in Iberia, Missouri the son of Virgil Waldo and Iris Dean (Atwell) Smith.

Married: Phyllis L. Pew on June 4, 1960; she preceded him in death on November 1, 1985; he then married Ellen Quont in Vandalia on October 20, 1990 and she survives at the home.

Survivors include: wife, Ellen of Vandalia; two sons, Micheal L. and wife, Charla Smith of Vandalia; Alan L. and wife, Valisha Smith of rural Vandalia; one daughter, Stephanie M. Smith of Vandalia; one brother, Virgil and wife, Marilyn Smith of Vandalia; three grandchildren, Zachary, Lily and Grace; other surviving family are: Linda and Carl Roberts; John and Louane Holeyfield; Marily and Earl Guidry and Nina and Jimmy Parkinson.

Preceded in death by: parents.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are encouraged to the Elm Grove Baptist Church in care of Waters Funeral Home, P O Box 84, Vandalia, Missouri 63382-0084.