Ray L. Smith, 90, died peacefully at home in Smithfield, North Carolina on Sunday, May 7, 2006.

Ray was born March 25, 1916, in Selma, North Carolina, the son of Leon and Katie Jones Smith. He and his eight brothers were raised and lived in Selma. He attended Selma schools and was active in sports, especially baseball and football. After high school Ray studied agriculture at North Carolina State University. After graduation he returned to Selma to work with his dad on the farm.

In the summer of 1939, Ray met Dorothy Johnson of Richmond, Virginia. He made her his bride on Dec. 1, 1940. They had three sons, Thomas C. (wife, Nancy) Smith of Charlottesville, Virginia, William R. (wife, Alice) Smith of Raleigh and John S. Smith of Raleigh; and two daughters, Carol M. (husband, Harold) Grimes of Asheville, and Carla Rae (husband, Dennis) Thomas of Raleigh.

Ray was an active member of the First Baptist Church of Smithfield, where he served as chairman of the planning committee and helped on the church farm when asked, especially after he got his new 1954 tractor. He liked to show off a little. (See Scrapbook for photos.) Under his direction the church was able to double in size with the addition of a new chapel.

In addition to his church duties, Ray was active in the Elks Lodge, where he served as a Loyal Knight and exemplified the mission of the Elks. For more than forty years he acted as a mentor and role model in the community. He led many fund raising efforts and helped foster the growth of the organization.

Ray and Dorothy bought and farmed 40 acres south of Smithfield, and in 1955, they sold that parcel of land and purchased an 80-acre farm in the area, where they raised their children. He was very handy when it came to welding and building equipment to help him in his farming. He was able to build the luxuries that others had to pay for. This quality has been passed on to his children. He was an avid fisherman and hunter and taught his children the joy of these sports. He would often say, "My girls can shoot better than my boys." Ray and Dorothy belonged to a group called the Crazy Campers with four other couples who became lifelong friends. This group fished, camped and traveled to most of the states east of the Mississippi.

He is loved and missed by his five children, 19 grandchildren, 41 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-granddaughter. (view photos.) He is survived by four brothers - Carl, of Charleston, West Virginia, Kenneth, of Smithfield, and Lawrence and Clyde, both of Selma. His wife, parents, four brothers and one grandson preceded him in death.

Funeral arrangements handled by Acme Funeral Home in Selma, North Carolina. The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, May 12, 2006, at the First Baptist Church of Smithfield, 200 N. Main Street, with Reverend Samuel Wilson officiating. Burial will be in Smithfield Cemetery. Friends may call from 6 until 8 p.m. Thursday at Parker Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St. in Smithfield, and from 10 until 10:45 a.m. Friday at the church.