Danny Joe Smith, 57, the son of Jesse and Katherine Goodman Smith, was born on Nov. 14, 1961, at St. Louis. He passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2019, at Mountain View.
Mr. Smith grew up in the Eunice/Yukon area. He learned to love the outdoors and to fish and hunt. He enjoyed riding down country roads with his four-legged friend and working in his wood shop. He had a wonderful sense of humor and loved making people laugh. He was also a gifted writer and musician. Danny appreciated the simple things and had a heart for his community and family. He especially loved being “PawPaw” to Joseph and Miranda.
He accepted the Lord as his Savior as a child. He attended Midvale Pentecostal Holiness Church when he was younger and later attended Hartshorn Assembly of God for several years. Mr. Smith loved playing his harmonicas during song service.
Mr. Smith attended Houston Schools until the sixth grade when he moved into the Summersville district. He graduated from high school in 1980, and joined the U.S. Air Force that same year. He served in the Air Force from September 1980 until January 1985 as a military policeman. He was a member of the Air National Guard for four years.
In August 1989, he started at Southwest Baptist University in Mountain View toward a degree in elementary education. His first teaching position was at Birch Tree Elementary where he taught for two years as a second grade teacher and then a sixth grade teacher. He later was hired to teach seventh-ninth grade social studies at the Summersville. Mr. Smith taught hundreds of children throughout his 30-year career in education. He also coached many students in basketball, volleyball and cross country.
He married Brenda Blake on June 19, 1982, and four children were born – twins – Alyssa Jean and Ashley Danielle, Allison Elizabeth and Alaina Taylor.
Preceding him in death was his father.
Surviving are his wife, Brenda of the home, daughters; Alyssa, of Vienna, Mo., Ashley Collins of Houston, Allison and Alaina, both of Springfield; his mother of Cabool; three grandchildren; sisters Vickie Smith of College Station, Texas, Kelly Cochran of Springfield, Natasha Smith of Branson; and several nieces and nephews.
Services were Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019, at Big Creek Church in Yukon with the Rev. Gary Steelman officiating. Interment with full military honors was in the Big Creek Cemetery. Services were under the care of Bradford Funeral Home and online condolences may be left at www.bradfordfuneralhome.net