Willie Smith

Service Details

A Memorial Service will be held in honor of Willie’s life on Saturday, June 6, 2020 at 4:00 pm. in the Chapel of Draeger-Langendorf Funeral Home, 4600 County Line Rd., Racine, WI.  Visitation will be in the funeral home on Saturday from 3:00 pm until the time of service.

In accordance with Racine County mandate, only 50 people will be allowed to enter the funeral home at a time.  You may be required to wait outside until others leave the building.  For the safety and security of our guests we also require those in attendance to wear a face covering.  We thank everyone for their understanding and cooperation during this difficult time.

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Willie Smith, age 86 residing in Atlanta, Georgia joined the great cloud of witnesses in the sky early Sunday morning, May 24, 2020.

Willie was born on April 9, 1934 in Tchula, Mississippi to General Smith and Emma Nevitt.

Willie spent a good portion of his adult life in Chicago and Rockford, Illinois. In 1968, he relocated to Racine, Wisconsin and worked six years at Belle City. In 1973, Willie started work at Foster Forbes in Burlington, WI and retired after 29 years.

Willie joined the St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church in 2006 where he served on the usher board and the male chorus. He found great joy serving others through St. Paul’s food pantry ministry. Willie loved his pastor, Bishop Lawrence Kirby and all the members of the St. Paul Church.

Willie was few with words, but he had a very huge heart. He loved his family and friends. Later in life, Willie picked up weightlifting as a hobby. He was passionate about being healthy and fit and he spent countless hours in the gym. Willie was made honorary sheriff deputy under sheriff Robert (Bob) Carlson.

In 2003, Willie married Terri Smith who passed away on April 20, 2016.

Willie leaves to cherish his memories, his sons, Greg (Wanda) Smith, Jerry Howell, Terry (Felicia) Howell, Antwann Griffin, Sr, and his daughters, Doris Smith, Lisa Reed, Sheila Simon, Sheila Edwards and Yvonne Sheree Howell (Smith). Grandchildren, Latrell Smith, Christopher Tell, Andrea Smith, Raleigh Moe, Lisa Marie Illges, April Harris, Titania Cabell, Antwann (Mae) Griffin II, John Griffin, JaVNault Griffin, Brelann Griffin, Jarmeise (Kenny) McNeal, Glenisha (Brandon) Gordon, Niya Knox, Demetrius Knox, Armando Reed, Tensie Reed, Courtney Simon, Martel Smith, Marcus Smith, Marco Smith, Quincy McCall, Kirkland Smith, Danielle Smith, Deon Smith, Krystal Peyton, Noreen Guidry, Connie Guidry, Karrisa Curry, Breon (Renee) Howell, Khadejia (Juan) Viveros Jimenez, Justin Howell, Jasmine Howell, Jabryl Berry, and a host of great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, family, and friends. Very special to him was his friend, Deacon Donald Young.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Terri Smith, his father, General, and his mother Emma and his step-mother, Celia, his brothers Theodis Smith, Samuel Smith, Gentral Smith, L.C. Smith, Sylvester Ferguson, and John Nevitt, his sisters, Agnes Vann, Margaret Moore, Bettie Benford, and Irene Rayford, his sons, Mark Smith and Kirkland Smith and his daughters, Lynette Peyton and Pamela Curry.

A Memorial Service will be held in honor of Willie’s life on Saturday, June 6, 2020 at 4:00 pm. in the Chapel of Draeger-Langendorf Funeral Home, 4600 County Line Rd., Racine, WI.  Visitation will be in the funeral home on Saturday from 3:00 pm until the time of service.

In accordance with Racine County mandate, only 50 people will be allowed to enter the funeral home at a time.  You may be required to wait outside until others leave the building.  For the safety and security of our guests we also require those in attendance to wear a face covering.  We thank everyone for their understanding and cooperation during this difficult time.