William Lester Smith Sr.'s Obituary
William L. “Sonny” Smith, 83, of Marshall, passed away at Harry S. Truman Memorial Veteran’s Hospital in Columbia, Mo., on Feb. 11, 2021, following a courageous battle with the coronavirus.
Born Aug. 9, 1937, in Sedalia, Bill was the son of Harold and Ellen Smith and was raised in rural Saline County near Pennytown by his great-grandparents, Annie and Richard Lawrence, and his uncle, Clarence Lawrence. He was a 1955 graduate of C.C. Hubbard High School in Sedalia where he was active in sports and band. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy where he served as an air traffic controller. Bill worked for the U.S. Postal Service in Casper, Wyo., then returned to Missouri and became the first African American mail carrier in Marshall. He later served as a Saline County Deputy Sheriff for 18 years.
His first marriage was to Mollie (Johnson) Smith and they had four children, William Jr., who preceded him in death in 2020, Robert S. (Sherri) of Marshall, Deborah Collins (Harold) of Aurora, Colo., and Clarence (Janet) of Kansas City. He and wife Sarah married in 2000 and lived in Marshall for the remainder of his life. Bill loved traveling, and he and Sarah took dozens of trips together throughout the U.S.
In addition to his son, Billy, Bill’s parents and a sister, Harriet, preceded him in death. Survivors include wife Sarah, of Marshall; sister Charlotte Mason of Kansas City; children Bobby, Debbie, Clarence; stepchildren Melissa Stockman, Jamie Forqueran, Justin Lawrence, all of Marshall; sister-in-law, Shirley Kays of Marshall; and 14 grandchildren, including Mikinnah Clements, Miami, Mo. He also leaves behind six great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
A graveside service at Missouri Veterans Cemetery will be held at a later date.
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