John Wesley Smith

1940 – 2017

John Wesley Smith born on March 12, 1940 was the son of the late J. Wesley and Leno (West) Smith. John was preceded in death by his first wife Janet Haines Smith.

He is survived by his wife of thirty-five years Patricia M. (Crum) Smith, brother Robert (Jane) Smith, sons; Jay Wesley (Dianna) Smith and John Michael (Lisa) Smith, daughters; Stephanie Lynn Smith, Lowella (Benny) Dillon, Denise (Gregory) Hall, grandchildren; John Wesley Smith, Amy (Kevin) Sudduth, Beth (Heath) West, Benjamin Patrick Dillion, Lakin Brooke Hall, Kelsey Morgan Hall, Jarin Gregory Hall, Sarah Racheal Dillion, Kala Spillman and Kegan Watts, great grandchildren; Mason Herring, Andrew Herring, Norah Campbell, Briar West, Jay Wesley Smith, Maggie Sudduth, Quinci Spillman and RaeLynn Watts.

John loved his family. He was a devoted husband to his wife Pat and a beloved father, grandfather and great grandfather. John had many accomplishments during his seventy-six years of life, however his strong Christian Faith he considered to be his strongest. Family and friends shared his message of God’s love and forgiveness. John and Pat have been members of The First Baptist Church of Louisa for 34 years.

Among his early years of accomplishments, he was a graduate of Stonewall Jackson High School in Charleston, WV and received a Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering from Virginia Tech University. John completed a Master’s Program at West Virginia University and shortly after he began a long successful work history: Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, MI, Atlantic Richfield Company, Denver CO, Wheeling Pittsburg Steel Company, Pittsburg, PA, President of Enoxy Coal Operations, Huntington, WV, CEO of Helping Hands Consultants, Inc., Louisa, KY and owner of various other coal companies throughout the Southern West Virginia Region. John Smith touched many lives throughout his career and he was a mentor to his employees as well as his colleagues. Those that knew him in any capacity felt his presence in the coal industry.

John enjoyed life and loved to travel with his wife Pat and together they found a marriage that would last thirty-five and a half years. We will greatly miss him but will forever be grateful to have known him. We were truly by his life and the time we shared together.

Please join us in the celebration of the life of John Wesley Smith at the First Baptist Church of Louisa at 12:00 noon on Friday, March 3, 2017 with burial will follow at the Riverview Memorial Gardens in Louisa under the direction of Young Funeral Home in Louisa.

Visitation will be at the church on Thursday, March 2, 2017 from 6-9 pm.

In lieu of flowers donations are suggested to the First Baptist Church of Louisa (property purchase fund), 301 W. Pike Street, Lousia, KY 41230 in John’s memory.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.youngfuneralhomeinc.com