Obituaries

Roy Don "Donnie" Smith

Photo of Roy Don "Donnie" Smith
Roy Don "Donny" Smith passed March 18, 2015 at 5:12 p.m. in Fayetteville, Ark. at WRMC with his wife, children and a close friend at his side. He is most certainly in heaven, as he often proclaimed his love for God as a christian and had told his mother and wife that when his time would come that he was ready to be with God. Little did he know that his time would come at age 58. He was baptized by long time friend, Rick Whittle in recent years at Hickory Creek in Springdale. Donny passed with injuries sustained in an auto accident. Donny was born to Roy Von Smith and Peggie Hathorn Smith in Wichita, Kan. on November 27, 1956 at St. Francis Hospital. How blessed his parents were that day! Donny lived and was raised with what he considered his second parents, his paternal grandparents Charlie William "blue britches" Smith and Pheba Don Silvis Smith on Ogden Cemetery Road near Witter/Pettigrew in Madison County, Ark. He attended St. Paul public school nearby. Donny married his soul mate and best friend, Robin Rayne" Armer-Lee, on June 20, 1986 at the home of Bob Bryant and Sharon Henderson Bryant in Fayetteville, who were also their attendants. They spent their honeymoon in Harrison, Ark. with friends Tim and Kim Whittle enjoying Dog Patch Amusement park where Robin wanted him to be able to see visiting Atlanta TV Wrestling personalities. Together they adopted their first child/daughter and were blessed with Trinity Elizabeth, in 1990. They were later blessed with two more children, with Robin giving birth to daughter India Janae Smith in November 1992 and a son in May of 1997, Taylor William Smith. Trinity blessed "poppy" Donny and "granny" Robin with two granddaughters, Alyzabeth Don Thompkins and Nevaeh "Bia" Lee Smith. Donny's first employment was as a young groundskeeper of Cove Cemetery, a family cemetery near his childhood home. In high school and for a time after he caught chickens as a young man for Tyson Foods. He later became a Master Electrician and worked for local electrical families Rakes and Campbell, respectively for 30 years. He was an extremely respected coworker with a work ethic second to none. He was an outdoors man, with the woods and dirt roads being his playground growing up. He was an accomplished hunter and loved to ride dirt bikes as a younger man and again in recent years with his son and great nephew, Kaiden. He had many pets growing up with a particular love for dogs. He loved to watch westerns, with John Wayne and Audie Murphy being his favorites. He also enjoyed watching Georgia TV wrestling, hunting shows and motocross motorcycle racing. He was an Arkansas Razorback fan. He was a self made man, and one that was an inspiration to all who knew him. He was a very ornery playful person, always laughing and playing jokes on friends, family and coworkers his whole life. Donny took being a friend, family member, husband, father and grandfather very seriously and was very proud of those he loved. He was a servant to others. He was proud to be a southern country boy. He is survived by his wife Robin, daughters Trinity and India, son Taylor and granddaughters Aly and Nevaeh, Also his mother, Peggie, mother-in-law Rayne" Lee, sister Lavonna (Dan) Latta, sister Denise (Scott) Smith, step-brothers Ronnie and Chad Davidson, Sister-in-law and brother-in-law Katrena and Tony Pianalto, sister-in-law Nikki Lee, brother-in-law Bobby Dale Armer, nieces Kristina, Autumn, Jacquetta, Amanda, Chelsea, Kaitlin and Kaylee. Nephews Nik, Hunter, Heath, Raven, Ron, Blake, Michael. Great nephews Kaiden, Braiden, Kolby, and Kimani. His uncle JT Hathorn, aunt Linda Hathorn, god son Gavin Kuncl and a zillion cousins, family members and wonderful friends. Everyone loved Donny. And if he loved you, you were so loved. He is also survived by his box turtle "Buster" and his poodle, "Timmy". He was preceded in death by his daddy Roy, his grandpa Charlie Smith, grandma Pheba Don Smith, his step-brother Michael Davidson, his dear friend Tim Whittle and many other family and friends he loved. Donny 's last gift was the gift of life as an organ donor. A viewing will be held Sunday, March 22nd from 2-4 p.m. at Sisco Funeral Chapel in Springdale. A celebration of his life will be Monday March 23rd at 10 a.m. at Revival Tabernacle in Springdale with reverend Leon Hodge officiating. Interment will be at the Cove Cemetery near Witter. He will be carried by pallbearers Taylor Smith, Loy VanBrunt, Gary Rakes "Snoop" Jr., Kevin Sherrill, Bob Bryant, Tony Pianalto, Ricky Joe Smith and Scott Whittle. Honorary pallbearers are Rob Whittle, Gary Rakes Sr, Herbie Jordan, Gary D. Hathorn, Ryan Davis, Jim Ferguson, John Hutton, Josh Carroll, Larry Carroll, Dennis Donahue, Randall Smith, Ron Davidson Sr, Darrell VanBrunt, Rick Whittle, Larry Hawkins, Steve VanZant, Brent Carter, Rick L. Smith, Gary Smith, Hunter Lee, Heath Lee, and Nik Pianalto. I see the moon, and the moon sees me, The moon sees the one I want to see So, God bless the moon and God bless me, And God bless the one that I want to see. Online condolences at www.siscofuneral.com.

Published March 21, 2015

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