William G. Smith

Canton – William G. Smith, 86, of Canton, Passed away Monday May 28, 2018 at Farmington Country Manor in Farmington.

He was born on September 20, 1931 in Buffalo, S.C. to Elmer Tess and Leona Leatherwood Smith.

Bill married Ellen Negley on August 6, 1953 in Buffalo. She survives along with three daughters: Connie (Wilburn) Smith of Farmington, Elizabeth (Dennis) Martindale and Marsh (Bob) Berry, both of Canton, his brother, Howard of Greenville S.C, sister Betty (Ferald) Mann of Burlington N.C., eight grandchildren, Heidi (Tim) Dowell of East Peoria., Madeline and Natalie Martindale of Canton, Lauren, Joel and Emmaline Berry of Canton and Allison (Alex) and Clayton Smith of Farmington and three great-grandchildren, Haley Dowell of Kewanee, and Paris and Trey Dowell of East Peoria. He loved his family and was very proud of his grandchildren. He never tired of watching them participate in their events or discussing how special and unique each one of them were.

Preceding him in death were his parents, in laws, Paul and Lorena Negley of Fiatt, one brother, Troy of Lafayette, and five sisters, Edna Johnson and Wanda Mitchell of Union S.C., Doris Nelmes of Cuba, Anne Hall of Conover N.C., Sue Savelluotte of Jacksonville, Fl and Helen Miller of  Michigan.

Bill sold snow cones, shined shoes and worked in the cotton mills in South Carolina before joining the Army in 1950. He served during the Korean War in an artillery division and was involved in both the Bloody Ridge and Heartbreak Ridge battles. He also served in Germany for a year guarding the border between Germany and Russia. After returning home and marrying, he helped his father-in-law run their dairy =farm in Fiatt for several years and then moved to rural Cuba to farm and raise hogs on another family farm. He loved growing things and taking care of his animals. He was a member of Wesley United Methodist Church in Canton and a former member of the Shirts and Skirts and Tribal Squares Square Dance Clubs, the Canton Moose Lodge and the Eagles. He enjoyed dancing, gardening, picking all kinds of fruit, drinking coffee with his neighbors and being with his family. He sold sweet corn, fruit and garden produce at the farmer’s market in Canton and gave even more away.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday June 2, 2018 at Oaks-Hines Funeral Home in Canton, Visitation will be held Friday June 1, 2018 from 5 until 7 p.m. at the funeral home. Cremation rites have been accorded and burial of ashes with military honors will be held at Fiatt cemetery in Fiatt, IL.

Memorials may be made to the Book Bag Buddy Fund for Cuba Elementary which provides for children at risk or the Farmington Country Manor Nursing Home in Farmington.

To leave online condolences or to view William’s video tribute please visit, www.oakshinesfuneralhome.com.