Thurman Jay Smith

Yadkinville- Mr. Thurman Jay Smith of the Forbush Community, passed away Saturday, October 24, 2020. He was born in Winston-Salem, NC on November 3, 1945, the 12^th child of the late Clyde Clarence and Annie Mozelle Reece Smith. He graduated from Griffith High School in Winston-Salem and Forsyth Technical College with degrees in drafting and engineering. He is a veteran of the US Navy, serving from 1965-1970, where he served as an assault boat Coxswain in Panama, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. Thurman was employed at ITT Grinnell in Kernersville as a piping engineer for many years, also Budd Services, Calvary Baptist Church and Community Care Center all in Winston-Salem. He was married on June 13, 1970 to Kaye Phillips Smith. They had just celebrated their 50^th wedding anniversary. Thurman was a member of Forbush Baptist Church where he served as a Deacon, Chairman of the Cemetery Committee, and was the teacher in the Children, Youth, and College Sunday School Classes for 40 years. He also coached the church softball team for many years as well as his son’s baseball and basketball teams at Forbush Elementary School. In addition to his parents, Thurman was preceded in death by his siblings, Lonnie Leon Smith(1928), Carl Cornelius (Betty) Smith (1990), Thomas Lee (Barbara) Smith (1999), Lillian (Bill) Justice (2000), Faye (Reid) Snyder (2003), Chalma (Leomie) Smith (2008), and James (Odie Lee) Smith (2010), Judy (Andrew) Manuel (2011), Margaret Ann Smith Gilbert (2013), Gail (Nelson) Lee (2017), and Jeanette (Lowell) Huffman (2017). Thurman is survived by his wife, Kaye Phillips Smith; a son Matthew Jay Smith and wife Nicole Carter Smith, precious Granddaughter, Ivy Jane Smith and another grandbaby on the way; sister Doris (Ralph) McDaniel, and brothers-in-law Nelson Lee and Lowell Huffman. Funeral services will be conducted Tuesday, October 27, 2020 at 3:00 PM at Forbush Baptist Church with Pastor Justin Crouse officiating. The family will receive friends from 2-3 Tuesday at the church prior to the service. Burial will follow in the church cemetery with full military honors conducted by the Yadkin VFW Post 10346. The family request that wearing a face mask and social distancing be observed. Memorials may be made to the Forbush Baptist Church General Fund, 3917 Old US 421 Hwy E., Yadkinville, NC 27055. Online condolences may be made at www.gentryfuneralservice.com.