Joseph H. "Joe" Smith

Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. at Waters Funeral Chapel, 500 S. Main Street in Vandalia, Missouri 63382.
Officiating will be: Rev. Mike Lewton.
Music provided by: Faye Miller - pianist.
Interment will be in the Vandalia Cemetery with full military honors.
Pallbearers: Dan Kemp, Steven Kemp, Elmer Lee Kemp, Arthur Kemp, Gary Eskew, Larry Eskew, Eric Eskew, Dennis Hursman and Doug Hursman. Honorary pallbearers: grandchildren.

Joseph H. "Joe" Smith passed away at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, September 25, 2009 at the Audrain Medical Center in Mexico, Missouri. Joe had been a Vandalia area resident for over 30 years. He had worked some at CE Refractories, NARCO Refractories and Harbison Walker Refractories. For over 30 years he had been a truck driver for Orschlen Bros. Truck Lines. After he retired from trucking in 1993, he worked in the maintenance and grounds department at the Missouri Valley College in Marshall, Missouri, retiring from there in 1998. Joe was a U. S. Army veteran of the Korean Conflict. He had also been active as a member of Moolah Shrine in St. Louis, Scottish Rite Valley of St. Louis, Vandalia Masonic Lodge #491, Eastern Star Marshall Chapter 408, IOOF Lodge #456 in Laddonia, Missouri and a past member of the VFW Post and the Lions Club. Joe enjoyed fishing, hunting and trucking. His CB handle in his trucking days was "Leadfoot". He also enjoyed spending time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Born: March 13, 1931 in Fresno, California the son of Jess and Laura (Foreman) Smith.

Married: Wilma Geraldine Eskew in Perry on December 26, 1970; she survives in Vandalia.

Survivors include: wife, Wilma of Vandalia; three daughters: Toni A. and husband, Henry Bryant of Curryville, Missouri; Terri S. Parrish of Vandalia; Laura C. "Joely" and husband, Eric Lark of Marshall, Missouri; six grandchildren: Travis Bryant of Curryville; LaDon Bryant of Hannibal, Missouri; Tori Allen of Marshall; Brian Jarvis of Fulton, Missouri; Mari Parrish of Vandalia; Tanner Lark of Marshall; also survived by nine great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.

Preceded in death by: parents; one sister and her husband, Mildred Ann and Bob Tyler.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are encouraged to the Shriner's Hospital for Children.