Talmage Smithee

Talmage Smithee age 91 of Batesville died Sunday June 7, 2009 at the Batesville Healthcare Center. He was born January 23, 1918 at Shelbyville, Arkansas to Lee and Louie Norris Smithee. He was a U.S. Army veteran having served during WWII, owner of Smithee Service and Repair and a member of the 20th Street Missionary Baptist Church in Batesville.He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Opal Lackey Smithee, one brother, B.W. Smithee and one sister, Maurine Porter.Survivors include one son, Bobby Smithee of Batesville, one daughter, Sharon Gardner of Arkadelphia, one brother, Junior Smithee of Batesville, two sisters, Helen Smithee of Batesville and Bernice Wilcox of Little Rock, one grandson, Jonathan Gardner of Knoxville, Tennessee, four granddaughters, Monica Buxton of Russellville, Andrea Brady of Cabot, Julie Shelby of Bryant and Karen Williams of Canton, Georgia, eight great grandchildren, several nieces and nephews and a host of other relatives and friends.Funeral services will begin Tuesday June 9, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. at the Qualls Batesville Funeral Service Chapel with Bro. Carley Davis officiating. Burial will follow in the Milligan Campground Cemetery located near Strawberry with arrangements by Qualls Batesville Funeral Service of Batesville.Visitation will begin Monday June 8, 2009 from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m.Pallbearers will be David Smithee, Jonathan Gardner, Eric Shelby, Nathan Shelby, Chris Buxton and David Gardner.Honorary pallbearers are Wayne Turner and Lawrence Gattis.