Thomas Phelton "Tommy" Smith

1950 - 2025

Our extraordinary dad, papaw, friend, husband, and encourager, Tommy Smith, age 75, passed away on October 22, 2025. He was born July 13,1950, in Tulip, Arkansas, the son of Martin Green and Allah Marie Asbury Smith. His heart, hands, and generosity touched everyone lucky enough to know him. He taught us all that what's broken can always be fixed - with patience, love, and a little hard work.
Tommy lived his life with purpose in his actions and kindness in his heart. For more than sixty years, he worked as a mechanic - a master of everything from top to bottom, inside and out of a vehicle. There wasn't a machine he couldn't understand or a problem he couldn't puzzle through. He took pride in keeping every piece of equipment, every tool, every inch of his home and yard in its best condition. But what made Tommy truly remarkable wasn't just how well he cared for things - it was how deeply he cared for people.
If something was broken, Tommy didn't give up on it. He studied it, took it apart, and found a way to make it work again - often better than before. He did the same with people. He could see through the outside straight to your heart, offering patience, guidance, and steady reassurance that everything could be fixed with enough heart and hard work.
Tommy was the first to stop and help anyone in need - even when you didn't realize you needed it yet. He was known for showing up, no matter the time, weather, or how many jobs were already waiting for him. He'd arrive with a grin, a tool in one hand, and probably a snack in the other. Once, when someone needed help, he drove from Tulip in eleven minutes flat - a record none of us should ever try to beat.
He loved the outdoors: a sunrise over the field, a freshly mowed lawn, the smell of cut hay, the warmth of a brush pile fire crackling into the night. He rarely went anywhere without his chainsaw, some diesel fuel, a box of matches and a readiness to work. Tommy found joy in motion and peace in purpose.
Tommy was a dedicated Mason and a member and Past Master of Rockport Masonic Lodge #58. He was a Past Commander of Trinity Commandery Malvern Knights Templar #33; Past High Priest of Malvern Chapter 100 of Royal Arch and Select Masters Masons; and Past Master of Solomon Council #46. He enjoyed the brotherhood of the Masonic Lodge and loved serving as a mentor and helping new Masons throughout his years of service. He loved learning and had a curiosity that always drove him to research, read, and work toward always gaining more knowledge regarding his interests.
Nothing lit him up quite like being "Papaw." His grandchildren were his pride and absolute delight. He could be found sitting on the floor for scooter races down the hallway or playing ball on the baseball diamond he mowed himself in the field at his house. He taught the grandkids how to swing - first with his hand pushing from behind, then with encouragement to pump their own legs and fly higher. He showed them how to drive in his little green truck - really a multicolored patchwork of parts from vehicles he'd kept alive for decades - and how to build forts, shoot basketball trick shots, kick a soccer ball, or handle a rifle safely on a nighttime "spotlighting" adventure for possums and skunks.
He baked cookies, roasted pecans, and picked apples to make pies, because Tommy believed teaching came through doing - and through spending time together. He drove kids to dance lessons, ball practices, and doctor appointments; he coached at the Boys and Girls Club long after his grandkids aged out; and he cared for sick or injured little ones with a gentleness that made even broken bones and crutches an adventure to smile about.
In his younger years, Tommy loved racing cars - and after rolling his first one, he learned quickly how fast was too fast. That didn't scare him; it taught him. He carried that lesson through life: mistakes aren't failures, just opportunities to learn and do better. He lived by that belief and passed it on to everyone around him.
Those who knew Tommy will remember him as the man who never let fear stop him, who worked hard, who gave freely, and who always showed up. He built engines, homes, friendships, and a family legacy of love and service. Tommy Smith lived with grit, humor, and grace - and he leaves behind a lifetime of lessons, laughter, and love that will keep on working long after the engine of his own great heart has come to rest.
Tommy was preceded in death by his parents, sister Brenda Rowan and brother Toney Smith.
He is survived by his loving wife Lourene Thaxton-Smith, stepchildren and their spouses Dylan and Mary Thaxton of Hot Springs and Jared and Jessica Wiley of Benton. He is also survived by step children Amy Kutka of Malvern, Mendy Corter of Richmond, Virgina, and David Adams of Hot Springs from a previous marriage, and a daughter Amanda Smith Jones and her husband Casey Jones of Malvern. Brothers, John Smith and Phillip Smith (Jo) both of Tulip, and sister, Donna Smith of Aztec, New Mexico; grandchildren, Jenna and Pike Thaxton; Denton, Delia, Dinah, and Delta Wiley; Dalton (Stacia), Conner (Morgan) and Brooks (Brittany) Homan; Colton Corter (Lindsey), Jackson and Jasmine Adams; Ella Scarlett, Avrie Anna, and Aliza Claire Jones; ten great- grand children, Godson Trace Medlin and numerous nieces and nephews and host of friends.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, October 26, 2025 from 1pm - 2pm at Regency, with the service following at 2pm, with Reverend Candace Barron and Brother Scott Efird officiating.
Honorary Pallbearers are his Kelly-Rob Wilson Motors Family, Mike Clayton Buick Family, Teeter Motors Family, and his Masonic Lodge Family.
A special thank you to his amazing medical team over the last eight years for their extraordinary care for Tommy.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the American Heart Association, The Malvern Boys and Girls Club, and Arkansas Children's Hospital.
Arrangements are by Regency Funeral Home. You may sign the guestbook at regencyfuneralhome.com