Marvin Gene Smith

Marvin Gene Smith Feb. 2, 1936 – Jan. 23, 2018 Marvin Gene Smith was born February 2, 1936. He was delivered by a midwife in Jones County to a loving mother and father, Gertie Lee and Shorty Smith. As an infant, just learning to walk, he was severely injured by a fire. This made his parents and siblings very protective of Marvin. While growing up he had multiple surgeries at Ochsner’s in New Orleans, LA. As a child he attended Mill Creek School. He was always pushing to do more than his mother wanted. In the upper grades he attended Beat Four High School. He became one of the “Tigers” best football players. Marvin hid his football uniform and went to great lengths to keep football from his parents. Soon his father figured it out. His mother kept him very sheltered for fear he would be hurt and did not want him to play. Marvin proved to be a tough determined young man that never let his injuries keep him from living a full life. Marvin learned the value of hard work as a child. All of “Shorty’s” children had chores on the family farm. For spending money he would shine shoes on the street corners of Laurel, MS and recovered golf balls from the water traps at the Laurel Country Club golf course. After school he had various afternoon jobs including hauling pulp wood. Because of time spent in New Orleans, he worked as a filling station attendant. Later he went to work for Southern Scrap Junk Yard in New Orleans, LA on the MS River, traveling back and forth from Louisiana to home in Jones County for several years. In 1954 he went on an arranged date and met the love of his life. Marvin dated Sadie Leather Ainsworth for two years. They married January 19, 1956. They recently celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary in their home. Marvin and Sadie resided in Jones County, MS. In 1957 they had their first child, Danny; the following year Barbara came. That same year he moved his family to New Orleans continuing to work at Southern Scrap Junk Yard. In 1961, Cindy was born in Orleans Parish, LA. During his children’s early years he enjoyed multiple activities with them. He loved taking his children to church. This included all kinds of sports, football, cheerleading, softball, baseball, and basketball. He taught his children swimming, fishing, crabbing, shrimping, crawfishing, hunting and the love for family land and the great outdoors. He would teach and skate, dance, and have fun with his children, as well as his younger siblings and younger in-laws. In 1974 he fell from an oil rig platform he was working on in Louisiana. Because of the injury he moved back to Jones County. Once recovered, he moved his family to the land he would inherit from his daddy. He then went to work for Southern Pump, his sister Ruby Nell’s and brother-in-law Burt’s, company. Southern Pump was bought out by T. K. Stanley, where he was a mud pump operator until he retired at age 72 in 2008. Through the years he was always a hard worker at work and home. He enjoyed gardening on his property where he grew a multitude of vegetables. For a time he also had cattle and small farm animals. He loved to hear his beagle dogs run rabbits. Through the years he had many rabbit dogs. He would enjoy running deer dogs with his dad and brothers around the holidays. He loved Christmas always having his children, and later grandchildren and great grandchildren over for family Christmas gatherings. This past Christmas he met his first great great grandson, Kayden Smith. He loved to pick and joke with people. Marvin had a good sense of humor. He was a very frank person who would tell you exactly what he thought. He was fun, loving but also strict and hard when he needed to be. Marvin was very proud of being a member of Grace Baptist Church and serving as a trustee during the building of the church. Through the years, Marvin moved back and forth from MS to LA for work. He always returned to his childhood church, Mill Creek (United Methodist) Church. He was also proud of his certification to run heavy equipment. Marvin was loved by many. His children and grandchildren, who called him Papaw, knew they could always depend on him to be there if they needed him. He loved his wife, and family. Always working hard to care and provide for them. He will be missed by many. He was preceded in death by his parents, Noah Washington Smith, Sr. “Shorty” and Gurtie Lee Smith; sisters, Estelle Mills and Bonnie F. Jordan; brother, N. W. Smith, Jr. “Ralph”; son, Danny L. Smith, Sr.; and grandson, Danny Lee Smith, Jr. “D.J.” Survivors include his wife of 62 years as of January 19, 2018, Sadie Leather Smith; daughters, Barbara Jean Smith Saul (Michael) of the Rustin community and Cindy Marie Smith Williams (David) of Pearl; daughter-in-law, Teresa Smith of Laurel; grandchildren, Karen Elizabeth Irvine McFetridge (William), Angela Brianne Saul Dial, Wilson David Williams, Wesley Reagan Williams, John Marvin Smith “Johnny”, Christopher William Smith (Leanne); step-grandson, Jeffery Michael Haun Smith; great grandchildren, Anna Elizabeth McFetridge, William Cody McFetridge, Danny Wade Dial, Jr., Brianna Gean Dial, Courtney Ray Dial, Joshua Alton Smith, Hailey Nicole Smith, Danny Lee Smith, III, and Kimberlyn Brooklyn Smith; great great grandchild, Kayden Lane Smith; brother, Charles “Charlie” Smith of the Red Hill community; sisters, Ruby Lancaster (Burt) of Meridian and Annette Smith of St. Bernard Parish, La; and a host of nieces and nephews, great nieces and great nephews, and a multitude of cousins and family members. Visitation will be held at Memory Chapel on Saturday, January 27, 2018, from 4 until 8 p.m. Services will be at Mill Creek Church on Sunday, January 28. Visitation at the church will begin at 1 p.m. and the service will follow at 2:30 p.m. Interment will be at Mill Creek Cemetery. Bro. Jimmy Holder and Bro. Bill Myers will officiate. Serving as pallbearers will be William McFetridge, Randy Smith, Tony Smith, Carl Knight, Johnny Smith, Wilson Williams, Wesley Williams. Serving as Honorary Pallbearers will be Leon Smith and Eugene Smith. To sign the online guest book, visit www.memorychapellaurel.com.

Marvin Gene Smith

February 2, 1936 - January 23, 2018