Marion Smith, Jr.

Funeral services for Marion Smith, Jr., age 87, of Yantis, will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, May 13, 2009, at Murray-Orwosky Funeral Home, with Rev. Jim Ross and Rev. Charles Moore officiating. A military graveside service will follow at Restlawn Memorial Park, with Johnny Grigsby, Larry Connaughton, Wendle Heard, John Hopkins, Cullen Potts, Matt Woodard, Dr. Larry Landers, Chris Gibbins and Joe Walker serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be Joyce Connaughton, Martha Heard, Hulon Hamrick, Oline Dickson, Dan and Hortie Williams, Joyce Wiler, Mary Jo Wood, Karen Hopkins and George and Marketta Tefteller. Visitation will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, May 12, 2009, at Murray-Orwosky Funeral Home.
Marion Smith, Jr. passed away Saturday evening, May 9, 2009, at Hospice of East Texas Homeplace in Tyler. He was born in the Sherley Community, on November 20, 1921, the son of Marion Smith, Sr. and Eunice (Maxfield) Smith. He married Mary Elizabeth Claunch in Greenville, on December 26, 1941; she survives. Mr. Smith was retired from the Garland Division of E-Systems, where he was Director of Manufacturing for many years. He also served as President and Hospitality Chairman for the E-Systems Management Club. He served in the Air Force during World War II. He was a radio operator, assigned to a B24 bomber crew that flew 35 weather reconnaissance missions from the Island of Guam for the 20th Air Force in the Pacific Theatre of Operations. Marion was a 50 plus year Mason, with current membership in the Master Mason's Lodge of Arlington, Texas, the 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Lodge of Dallas, and a Hella Shriner. He served as captain and hospitality chairman of the Hella mini motorcycle unit. He attended First Presbyterian Church in Sulphur Springs.
Other survivors include: daughter Sandra Byerly and husband, Bill, of Tyler; granddaughter, Christi Elizabeth Byerly of Euless; grandson, Patrick Smith Byerly and wife, Jill, of San Diego, California; sister, Bobbie Walker of Dallas, sister-in-law, Gretta Grigsby of Denton, two aunts, Edna Stepheson of Dallas and Coela Honies of Arlington and many special nieces, nephews and cousins. Memorials may be made to the Texas Shriners Children's Hospital, 2222 Welborn Street, Dallas, TX 75219.
Arrangements are under the direction of Murray-Orwosky Funeral Home.