Johnny Ray Smith

A service celebrating his life and legacy will be held on Sunday, January 31, 2021 at First Evening Star Missionary Baptist Church, 6511 Bayou Rapides Rd., Alexandria, LA 71303. A brief viewing will take place from 12:30 pm until the start time for the service at 1:00 pm.

Johnny will be laid to rest there in the First Evening Star Baptist Church Cemetery immediately following the service.

Deacon Johnny Ray Smith was born May 15, 1958, to the late Mable Jasper and the late Amos Smith, Sr. He departed this life on Tuesday, January 26, 2021, at CHRISTUS St Frances Cabrini Hospital ICU.

Johnny was baptized at an early age at Second Christian Baptist Church, under the leadership of Rev. David Lee. Johnny was a devoted deacon and choir member. He enjoyed working for the Lord and he met no stranger. Johnny was a very compassionate and loving person. Johnny drove trucks for Gilchrist Construction until he became disabled.

Johnny found his soul mate and was united in holy matrimony in 1999 to Dorothy Ellis, they were together until Johnny was called to his heavenly home. Later he joined First Evening Star Baptist Church, where he was chairman of the deacon board, until his health failed him. Johnny was a worker in the church. He stayed on the deacon board, he sang in the mass choir, brother hood choir, willing workers deacon, deacon for ushers, and president for the pastor aid and at one time he was the superintendent of Sunday school.

Johnny is preceded in death by his parents, Amos Smith, Sr. and Mable Jasper; two sisters, Shirley Smith and Mary West; three nephews, David West, Michael West, and Terry West.

Johnny leaves to cherish his loving memories, step mother Josephine Smith of Alexandria, LA; his loving wife of 23 years Dorothy Ellis Smith of Pineville, LA; three sons, Jerome Kirkland, of Alexandria, LA, Julius Kirkland (Janie) of Pineville, LA, and Herbert Wallace (Ruby) of Houston, TX; four sisters, Carolyn Perry and Betty Rivers of Alexandria, LA, Bobbie Dunbar of Houston, TX, and Rosie Dotson of Bronson, New York; Four brothers, Donald Smith, Franklin Smith (Peggy), Minister Albert Goodman of Alexandria, LA, and Christopher Bell; also Richard Turner who was like a brother; sister in law Willie B. Sands (Terry); 12 grandchildren, 10 great grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends.

Please keep the Smith Family in prayer and they mourn his loss.

~Miller & Hill "The Funeral Directors"