Wilbur Allen Smith

August 9th 1936 - March 4th 2015

Memoriam

Wilbur Allen Smith, 78, of Grenada, MS died Wednesday, March 4, 2015 at Grenada Living Center. Services will be held at Friendship Baptist Church on Saturday, March 7, 2015 with visitation from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Funeral Services at 1 p.m. Burial will follow in the Woodlawn Cemetery.

He was born on August 9, 1936 and was the son of the late Otto Smith and Nellie Mae Cleveland Smith of Newton, MS. He was also preceded in death by 2 brothers, James Lee Smith and Charles Frank Smith.

Wilbur attended the University of Mississippi and Mississippi State University which is where his music career began. He was band director in Marks, Columbia, Tupelo, and Philadelphia, MS. Wilbur then worked for and retired from Wright Music Company after 32 years of service. He was a member of Friendship Baptist Church and enjoyed singing in the choir and mixed ensemble. Music was his life. He played with many small groups and performed all over Mississippi and many other states including The Waldorf Astoria in New York City. In 2003, Wilbur was awarded the Outstanding Contributor Award by the Delta Chapter of Phi Beta Mu International Band Master’s Fraternity. In his younger years he enjoyed gardening, hunting, fishing, and woodworking. In later years he and his wife, Jackie enjoyed bird watching, landscaping their home, building and flying remote control airplanes, camping, college football games and became a private airplane pilot.

Wilbur is survived by his wife of 29 years, Jackie Smotherman Smith of Grenada, MS; 1 daughter, Leigh Allen of Dallas, TX; 2 step-daughters, Emily Robin Jones (Gordon) of Concord, GA and Christy Anna Harris (Nathan) of Duck Hill, MS; 1 son, Allen Bennett Smith of Tyler, TX; 1 sister, Martha Jean Bartles of Nashville, TN; 4 grandchildren, Hannah Reagan Gregg, Grace Erin Gregg, Carter Lee Harris, and Savannah Jones and many nieces and nephews.

Bro Bob Self will be officiating the services.

National Funeral Home is in charge.

Service Information

Visitation At:
Friendship Baptist Church from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Funeral At:
Friendship Baptist Church

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