Jackie "Jack" Kellon Smith
Jackie (Jack) Kellon Smith died peacefully surrounded by his family at his farm in Greenup, Kentucky on August 25, 2019, the day after his 76th birthday. He took with him a world of knowledge of westerns from High Noon to Clint Eastwood to his childhood hero, Roy Rogers. He also leaves the world with one less high tenor, though he could extend his range down to a low baritone if he needed. (His baritone got richer as he got older.) Born the baby of eight children on August 24, 1943, to Morris Jefferson and Grace (Green) Smith in Brushart, Kentucky, Jack was raised by his five sisters as much his mother. As a very young man, he ran and hid when a frog character came on the radio. So, his siblings nicknamed him, “Frog.” Jack graduated from Wurtland High School in 1963 and married his high school sweetheart, Mary Ellen Carter, on December 5, 1964. Together, they raised three children, living, first, on Little Leatherwood, then in Lloyd. He retired from CSX Transportation to a farm on Route 2. The Raccoon Freewill Baptist Church is a few miles down the road where he was a deacon. Though he was a lifelong horseman, his love for horses seemed to grow in his later years. Bombi, Wayne, Tater, Ginger, and, the new colt, Curley will miss seeing him at feeding time. His garage is just as he left it, full of old wagons, horse-drawn plows, harnesses and completely disorganized to anyone but him.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and sisters Hazel (Harvey) Musser, Elizabeth (Paul) Baker, Ethel (J.D.) Wolfe, Minnie (H.B.) Wolfe, and Louise (Bill) Bradley.
Jack is survived by his loving wife of 55 years Mary Ellen; children Jack (Terri) Smith of Pelham, New York, Angie Smith-Bentley of Lloyd, Kentucky and Carter (Michelle) Smith of Russell, Kentucky; grandchildren Dalton (Lindsey) Bentley, Matison Bentley, Kayla Clark, Katharine Smith, and Madeline Smith; a great-grandson Hudson Bentley; brothers M.J. (Iona) Smith of Lloyd, Kentucky and Carl (Darlene) Smith of Maloneton, Kentucky; and a host of nieces and nephews.
Funeral service will be conducted at 1:00 pm on Wednesday August 28, 2019 at Reed Funeral Home in Greenup, Kentucky by Bro. Bill Oaks. Burial will be in Smith-Hall Cemetery in Warnock. Visitation will be from 6:00-8:00 pm on Tuesday and one hour before the service on Wednesday. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Oldtown Fire Department c/o Betty Riffe, 292 Brown Pond Road Greenup, Kentucky 41144.
