Vernon "Wayne" Smith

Vernon Wayne Smith, 76 of Temple, passed away peacefully Thursday, April 17, 2025. Services will be held at Harper-Talasek Funeral Home in Temple on Thursday, April 24, 2025, with a visitation starting at 10 am and funeral service immediately following at 11 am. Burial will be at 1 pm in Clifton Memorial Park in Clifton, Texas on Tuesday, April 29, 2025.

Wayne was born April 21, 1948, in Waco, Texas to parents, Martin and Opal Smith. He served in the United States Marines in 1966 and on December 16, 1968, he married Suzanne Faye Sexton in Texas City, Texas.

Wayne was a man of many talents, spending most of his life in law enforcement and then moving on to being a truck driver. At the beginning of his retirement, he enjoyed many years working alongside his wife, Suzanne, for the Corps of Engineers as a Gate Attendant. He rode bulls in his younger years and was well known for shooting pool. Wayne was a member of Abundant Life Church in Temple, Texas.

Wayne loved his family and was very vocal about it. A day didn’t go by where he didn’t tell his wife, children, and grandchildren that he loved them. He will be greatly missed.

Wayne was preceded in death by his parents, Martin and Opal Smith; sisters, Karen Smith, and Sandy Wilson; son, Bobby Smith; and daughters, Tammy Smith and Denna Noey.

He leaves behind his wife, Suzanne Smith of Temple; ex-wife, Trina Cochrane of Waco; son, Tyson Smith of Waco; daughters, Connie Carter of Temple, and Danielle Cochrane of Waco; sisters, Debbie Edwards of West, and Marsha Juhl of Aquilla; brother, Marty Smith of West; 10 grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.