Halbert Villa Smith Jr.

Halbert V. Smith, Jr. was born on Sept. 7 1947, in Jacksonville, TX, the sixth of eight children to the late H. V. Smith and the late Lucille Clara Marshall Smith. Hal, attended early elementary school in South Texas until the family moved permanently to Bee Branch, Arkansas, where he graduated from South Side High School in 1965. He attended college at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway where he graduated with a B. S. in Biology in 1969.
Hal married Audrey Elizabeth Post on August 7, 1969, in Little Rock, Arkansas, then taught school for two years in Charleston, Arkansas, before joining the Air Force. He was commissioned in November of 1971. He served as a Cartographic Geodetic Staff Officer at March AFB, CA; Missile Launch Officer, Alternate Command Post, Little Rock AFB, AR; Chief of the Mapping Charting Geodesy Branch of the 7450th Tactical Intelligence Squadron USAFE headquarters Rammstein AFB, Germany. During his service he received many commendations including the Joint Service Commendation Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Combat Readiness Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Air Force Overseas Long Tour Ribbon, Air Force Longevity Service Avard Ribbon with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Armed Forces Reserve Medal and Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon. After receiving an Honorable Discharge from the Air Force, he joined the Defense Mapping Agency, serving briefly in the St Louis, MO office before moving to the DMA Aerospace Center, Kansas City Field Office, where he worked until the office closure in 1989, when the family moved to Northern Virginia and where Hal finished his career in Civil Service. He retired from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency in 2004.
In his private life, Hal loved to travel, and was passionate about photography. While stationed abroad Hal, Elizabeth, and their infant son traveled extensively across Europe. Stateside, he took his family all across the country visiting numerous National Parks and places of intrigue. Upon returning he would regale to any who would listen with stories and slideshows that were either legendary, or infamous. Friends and family will remember him for his sense of humor and commitment to serving others. Hal was active in church, serving as a Sunday School teacher, a Deacon, and on numerous committees. He was a member of the Winchester Shawnee Lions Club where he held the offices of Vice President and President. Hal organized Little League baseball in his home town of Bee Branch, AR, in 1965, and continued coaching baseball in most places he lived until his son finished playing Babe Ruth baseball in Winchester, VA.
Halbert is survived by his wife Elizabeth, his son Marshall and daughter-in-law Katherine; sisters Patricia and Jeannette and sister-in-law Mary Alice; and by his wife's siblings: brothers (Robert, Leslie, Anthony, Charles) and sisters (Susan, Melicent, Jennifer) and countless cousins, nieces, nephews and their families.
Halbert is preceded in death by his parents H.V. Smith and Lucille Clara Smith (Marshall), sister Joy Anne McKnight, brothers Robert Dale, Roy Eugene, William Randall, and Charles Anthony.
Memorial Arrangements TBD.