Obituary: Joe Neil Smith

Joe Neil Smith of McKinney, retired Texas Baptist bivocational pastor, died Feb. 15. He was 80.

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Joe Neil Smith of McKinney, retired Texas Baptist bivocational pastor, died Feb. 15. He was 80. Smith was born March 7, 1937, to Willie and Sally Jo (Tarpley) Smith in Edhube. He married Paula Jane Meek June 15, 1956 in Bonham. Smith served in the U.S. Air Force. He was a pastor of churches in North Texas and southern Oklahoma 51 years. His Texas Baptist pastorates included King Memorial Baptist Church in McKinney and Westminster Baptist Church in Westminster. He also taught 25 years in the McKinney Independent School District and other area schools. He was preceded in death by his son, Dennis Ray Smith; his brothers, Dale Smith, Glen Smith, Wetzel Smith and Mike Smith; and his sisters, Sue King and Linda Rogers. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Paula Smith of McKinney; children, Tony Smith and wife, Kathi of McKinney, Glenyss Barnhill and husband, Kent of Lorena, and Darrell Smith and wife, Cherie of Longview; daughter-in-law, Cathy Harris Smith of Lubbock; 10 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; siblings, David Smith of Lufkin, Ann Brown of Mansfield, Sherill Hash of Brock and Ronnie Smith of Waxahachie.


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