Homer Smith Jr.

CANTON- Homer Smith Jr., 88, of Canton, passed away at 3:05 AM on Saturday, August 20, 2016 at Renaissance Care Center in Canton. He was born on August 6, 1928 in Bader, Illinois, a son of Homer and Lucille (Walton) Smith Sr. He married Jean Armstrong on December 25, 1948 in Evansville, Indiana, and was married for 50 years, and she preceded him in death April 25, 1999. He later married Julia Johnson in June of 2002, she survives. Also surviving are one son, Tearry Ray Smith of Glasford; two daughters, Debra Jean (Jim) Pierson of Palm Harbor, Florida, Diane Kay (Dave) Perkins of Rome, IL; 8 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Pat (Alan) Greer, and Judy (Tom) Beaven both of South Carolina.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and one brother, Robert; two sisters, Eloise and Wanda; one great-grandson, Isaac.

Homer worked for Caterpillar at the Mossville Plant for 30 years, retiring in 1981. He was a member of the Temple Baptist Church in Canton for over 50 years, and was on the Church Missionary Board for several years, and served his country as a United States Navy veteran in the South Pacific during World War II.

He also enjoyed participated in buck skinner and mountain man reenactments and was called “Preacher”. Homer was the oldest man in his group to canoe down the Illinois River in 1992.  He enjoyed woodworking, leatherwork, old guns, boats, old country music, reading western novels and watching westerns on the TV, tinkering with cars, and being of service to his community. He also enjoyed traveling and saw most of the United States by car or train.

Funeral services will be at 11:00 AM on Thursday, August 25, 2016 at Temple Baptist Church in Canton, where visitation will be from 10:00 AM until the time of the services. Pastor David A. Sexton will officiate. Burial with military honors will be in White Chapel Memory Gardens in Canton. Memorials may be made to his church. To leave online condolences please visit www.sedgwickfuneralhomes.com