Obituary

Funeral services for James Edward Smith, 30, of Hale Center will be at 10 a.m. Monday at First Baptist Church with Kyle Brock and Robert Malcolm officiating. Burial will follow in Hale Center Cemetery under the direction of Abell Funeral Home and Flower Shop. Mr. Smith died Thursday, Feb. 17, 2011, at University Medical Center in Lubbock. He was born March 12, 1980, at Chanute Air Force Base in Illinois. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1998-2002 and re-enlisted and served until 2005 in Afghanistan where he was decorated with the following medals: Air Force Training, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Air Force Longevity Service Award, Outstanding Unit Award and Purple Heart. He moved to Lubbock from Pope Air Force Base, N.C., in 2006. He married Crystal French on April 25, 2009, in Plainview. He was a member of Grace United Methodist Church in Plainview and was employed by Cactus Feeders at Hale Center Feed Yards as an assistant feed delivery manager. Survivors include his wife; children, Ky Smith, Karlee Thomas, Kora Thomas and Kambree Smith, all of Hale Center, and Devon Smith, Laken Rawls and Kaelynn Smith, all of Spavinaw, Okla.; four sisters, Vicki Dewey, Toni Tatman and Patti Tatman, all of Rantoul, Ill., and Becky Hill of Paxton, Ill.; and two brothers, Tom Smith of Brownwood and Allan Smith of Rantoul. His parents, Thomas Edward and Phyllis Elizabeth Smith, are deceased. The family suggests memorial contributions to a favorite youth sports program.