The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

Reece Edward “Ed” Smith, 71, longtime resident of Orange, passed away Monday, Jan. 6, at his home in Orange surrounded by his family.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 1:00 pm, Thursday, Jan. 9, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Orange, with the Rev. Tom Phelan officiating. Entombment will follow at St. Mary’s Mausoleum in Orange.

Visitation will begin at 5:00 pm, Wednesday at Claybar Funeral Home in Orange, with a Rosary recited at 7:30 pm.

Born in Pitkin, La, on Oct. 30, 1942, Ed was the son of Reece and Honor Lee Smith. He graduated from West Orange High School and worked as an electrician with IBEW 479 from 1966 until he retired in 2001. Ed served as President of Orange County Water and Improvement District 2, and was involved in the Knights of Columbus; serving as Grand Knight as well as, District Deputy and was recognized as one of the top five District Deputies in the State of Texas. Ed and his wife, Juanita, were founding members of the Orange Mardi Gras and were recently named Grand Marshal.

He was preceded in death by his parents; mother and father-in-law, Louis and Melba Duhon; and brother, Terry Wayne Smith.

Ed is survived by his wife of 49 years, Juanita Smith; sons, Ed Smith and wife Kathy of Orange, Wade Smith and wife, Julie of Orange; grandchildren, Casey Smith, Shelby Smith, Chloe Smith, Colton Smith, Cade Smith, Reece Smith; sister-in-law, Charlotte Alford and husband, Joe; sisters, Ann Smith of Orange, Joan Gallas of Bullard, Judy Sneed and husband, Clyde of Mont Belvieu; brothers, Robert Smith and wife, Cherry of Buna, Harold Smith and wife, Penny of Tucson, Az, Lynn Smith and wife, Renee of Orange, Rusty Smith and wife, Pam of Bridge City, Mike Smith and wife, Vickie of Orange; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Serving as pallbearers will be Mike Smith, Bernie Delhom, Eric Duhon, Robert Smith, Joseph Alford, Joe Alford, and Casey Smith. Honorary pallbearers are Colton Smith, Cade Smith, Reece Smith, Lynn Smith, Rusty Smith, Harold Smith, and Clyde Sneed.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church Building Fund, 4300 Meeks Dr., Orange, TX 77632, or to the St. Mary School Foundation, 2600 Bob Hall Road, Orange, TX 77630.