John "Bear" Smith

John Carl “Bear” Smith, 85, of Queens Drive, died Thursday, January 14, 2010, at Alston Brook Nursing Center following one year of declining health. The funeral will be 2 p.m. Saturday, January 16, 2010, at Sheets Memorial Baptist Church, where he was a member, with the Revs. Frankie Matthews and Duke Walker officiating. Burial will follow in Forest Hill Memorial Park. The family will receive friends 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday at Davidson Funeral Home, and other times at the home. Mr. Smith was born April 25, 1924, in Davidson County, to Fred Raymond Smith and Mary Leonard Smith. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was retired owner/operator of Smith’s Drywall. Following his retirement he began a stump grinding business. Mr. Smith was an outdoorsman who considered himself an avid deer and bear hunter. He was announcer for N. C. and Davidson County Tractor Pulls and Davidson County 4 Wheel Drive Club and was a member of the American Legion. In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by brothers, Fred Smith Jr., Sam Smith, Leonard Smith, Paul Smith, and Bill Smith. Surviving are his wife, Louise Michael Smith of the home; daughter, Becky Smith Bradham and husband, Billy, of Pooler, Ga., and Lexington; grandson, U.S. Military Cadet John Lincoln Sheffield Bradham of West Point, NY; and brother, Franklin Smith and wife, Barbara.