Billy Ray Smith
Billy Ray Smith
October 25, 1943 ~ August 14, 2024
Billy Ray Smith, 80, was born on October 25, 1943 in Omaha, Texas to Willie Giles Smith and Irma Lou Roberts. He went to be with our Lord and Savior on Wednesday, morning, August 14, 2024.
Billy attended the University of Texas A&M where he studied engineering. He had a long career with Tandy Corporation before retiring with FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). He was an avid hunter. He particularly enjoyed quail hunting with his father and his son. Above all, Billy was passionate for Jesus. He had the heart of a servant and his race here on Earth was full of love and compassion.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Willie Giles Smith and Irma Roberts. Those left to cherish his memory are his wife, Suzanne Smith; Children, Jefrey Smith, Jill (Smith) and her husband Dean Myers, Robert Myers, Gabrielle Fass, James Fass; grandchildren, Amber, Kennedie, CJ (Christopher), Nathan, Delanee, Evan, Dylan, and Avery; as well as 2 great-grandchildren; and numerous other family members.
A funeral service honoring his life will be held at 12:00 Noon on Saturday, August 17, 2024 in the Chapel of Horn-Nail-Haggard Funeral Home of Daingerfield. The family will receive friends beginning at 11:00 AM prior to the service. Burial will follow in Spring Hill Cemetery in Rocky Branch.
View current weather.
Memories Timeline
Guestbook
Sign the Guestbook, Light a Candle
I wrote a book about my life recently, with the help of Storyworth.com, and one chapter was about who I considered my best friend in high school. I thought long and hard about that as I had a lot of friends in school, some classmates, some much older, some much younger. But I came up with one name; Billy Ray Smith, who was two grades ahead of me. We became friends attending church as young boys, and it continued through high school and past college. Girls, motor scooters, cars, ski boats, and golf. That was our lives as young men. When he went off to college, he put me in for his job with his Uncle Bobby…his part time job at his uncle’s Sinclair station. A job I held for my last two years of high school. After college, our lives took separate paths as adults, but we reconnected in recent years and pretty much just renewed our friendship. I always felt like family when I visited the Smith’s home. Willie Giles and Irma were like a second set of parents to me in those days. We all go through life with good friends and sometimes we have cross words with them. I don’t recall Billy Ray and I ever had a cross word between us, and that says it all! He will certainly be missed….
Divine Peace Bouquet was purchased for the family of Billy Ray Smith.
Billy Ray was a supervisor of mine at FEMA. He ran a good team of workers where we all got along well with each other and enjoyed the hard work we did daily. He was always available to chat and offer advice. He understood the importance of our work and the stress it had. He also understood the importance of our families at home and when we needed to be at home for them. He was a good man and boss. We all respected him and learned a lot from him. Thanks Billy Ray. You will be missed. Respectfully Lelia Ragon Howell
Peaceful White Lilies Basket was purchased for the family of Billy Ray Smith.
Always kind, always there when you needed him. Thank you BR, I will miss you ,
Lee
I was pleased to work with Billy Ray on our HOA board these last few years. It was always fun being with Billy Ray. He had many stories to tell and he was a dedicated member of our board. My condolences to Suzanne and and his family.