Howard Lee Smith, son of the late James Smith and Ella Heath Smith, was born in Dogwood, Missouri on July 30, 1937 and departed this life on April 15, 2015 at his residence in Puxico at the age of 77.

Mr. Smith had worked for Chambers Electric in Sikeston and was a veteran of the United States Navy.

He was united in marriage to Phyllis Kaye Ledbetter in 1959 in Sikeston.  Mrs. Smith preceded him in death on July 23, 2000.

He is survived by one son, Mike Roy Bryant of Florida; by one daughter, Tracy Lynn Massey and her husband Jeff of Puxico; by two brothers, John Smith of Tennessee and Billy Smith of Michigan; by two sisters, Kitty Harper of Bertrand, Missouri and Becky Anderson of Tucson, Arizona;  by five grandchildren, Jason Lee Massey, Amanda Kaye Geske, Corey Bryant, Ben Bryant and Sarah Wallace; and by seven great-grandchildren, Bowen Massey, Kolton and Keaton Geske, Maddox and Hendrix Bryant, Annabel Bryant and Marley Wallace.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one brother, Harold Smith; and by five sisters, Margaret Humphrey, Doris Hart, Sue Smith, Mary Heaton and Helen Taylor.

A memorial service will be conducted in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel in Dexter on Tuesday, April 21, 2015 at 10:00 A.M. 

Arrangements are being handled by the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.