Obituary of Johnny Mack Smith

Funeral services for Johnny Mack Smith, age 71, of Newell, Alabama, will be held on Thursday, March 9, 2023, at 2:00 PM at Smyrna Baptist Church with Rev. Steven Beam, Rev. Jamie Beam, and Rev. Paul Widener officiating.  Burial will follow in the adjoining cemetery with Benefield Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 5:00-8:00 PM on Wednesday, March 8, 2023.  Mr. Smith will lie in state at the church for one hour prior to services beginning on Thursday.

Mr. Smith passed away on Monday, March 6, 2023, at his home surrounded by family.

Survivors include his wife, Mary Anne Yarbrough Smith of Newell; four children, Krystal Manley (Mike) of Cullman, AL, Kevin Smith (Dana) of Woodland, Holly Luke (Steven) of Oxford, and Hope Smith of Woodland; eight grandchildren, Hunter Manley, Hannah Manley, Emilie Smith, Brooklyn Smith, Cara Smith, Carter Luke, Tanner Luke, and Breanna Smith; a brother, Wallace Smith (Linda) of Mt. Zion, GA; parents-in-law, William Yarbrough (Cornelia) of Woodland; sister-in-law, Faye Aldredge (Gerald) of Woodland; two brothers-in-law, Wendell Yarbrough of Woodland and Steve Beam of Ranburne; and many nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be Hunter Manley, Tracy Aldredge, David Aldredge, Travis Yarbrough, Mike Moulder, Mark Smith, Randall Boyd, Josh Skinner, and Derek Huey.

Honorary pallbearers will be Everett Smith, Wendell Yarbrough, Steve Beam, and Gerald Aldredge.

A Bowdon, Georgia native, Mr. Smith was born on May 30, 1951, the son of James Hoke and Ruth Irene McGrif Smith.  He was a member of Smyrna Baptist Church and after beginning his career as a machinist through the Southwire Co-op Program, he started his own business in 1974, S & S Machine Shop.  By the end of his career, Mr. Smith had many accomplishments which included making brass bushings for NASA at Redstone Arsenal for the Lunar Rover and making mechanical parts for various mining operations.  He loved the outdoors, loved raising and running his beagles, and was a member of the West Georgia Beagle Club.  Mr. Smith was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Thomas Smith (and his wife, Linda), Winfred Smith, and Eugene Smith (and his wife, Sue; sister-in-law, Sue Beam; and great-nephew, Craig Lovin.