Lawrence Marion Smith

Lawrence Marion Smith, 88 Lawrence Marion Smith, 88, passed away peacefully and with his head held high of natural causes on Dec. 15, 2014. LM as he was know to most was survived by his wife of 67 years Carlene Gay Smith, they had 4 sons, KJ (Marie) Georgia, Monte (Genie) Montana, Rex (Carol) Lakeland & Ted (Donna) Lakeland. He had 11 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren. LM was bom on Oct. 7, 1926 in Elba, AL. He joined the Navy at the age of 16 and served on the USS Lexington CV16 as a gunner for 4 years during WWII. After the war, LM and Carlene were married on March 30,1947 at the home of Carlene's parents. They settled down on a 26 acre property and with the help of Carlene's father, Doc Gay, they went into the Dairy business. They raised their 4 sons by dairying and ranching. After the dairy LM went into the trucking business, he owned LM's Trucking, and T & L Transport where he became a Purina Feed Dealer, hauling feed all over the state of Florida. After he retired from trucking and moved up to the ranch off Moore Road, he and Carlene loved to travel in the motor home or camper. LM, worked the land and was a rancher for 60 years. He loved to hunt, to catch speckled perch and just being outdoors. He was a faithful husband and loving father. He did his best to teach his four boys to be honorable men. He was loved and respected by every member of his family and extended family. If LM gave you his word and shook your hand, it was his bond. Within LM's 60 year career, he dedicated his life to the Agricultural Life style that he loved. LM was a member of Crestview Baptist Church for the past 29 years where he served as a Deacon for most of that time. Friends are invited to a visitation on Wednesday, Dec. 17 at Crestview Baptist Church from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. Funeral services will be on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2014, at 10:00 am at the church. Burial will follow at Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell. In lieu of flowers, donations have been requested to Crestview Baptist Church Building Fund. In Honor and Respect this poem was written by his son Ted: The Cowboy The man sits tall on top of his horse he has a rope a whip and a dog of coarse He looks at the cattle under the trees as he wipes his sweat, he wishes for a breeze He's a tuff man, wrinkled and worn With Love in his heart, for his God, his family and the flag that fly's high He thinks of his Dad when he was around How hard he worked from sun up to sun down, but the lessons he taught me out there on the range were about more than horses, cattle and rain. He talked about stories and tales of long ago, late into the night as watched the Fire glow the Cowboy was my Dad-one of a kind. I love him with all my heart to the end of time. "Waitin on you Keener"

Lawrence Marion Smith

October 7, 1926 - December 15, 2014