William D. Smart

William D. Smart, 64, of Fairview, died Tuesday, June 17, 2008, of complications from leukemia.
Born and raised in Rutherford County, he was the son of Etta Newton Smart of Forest City and of the late John Henry Smart, Sr. and also was preceded in death by his sister, Shirley Smart Duncan. Mr. Smart graduated from NCSU in 1966 with a degree in civil engineering. He served two years in the U.S. Army for the Corp of Engineering in Vicksburg, MS. He worked thirty- five years for the NCDOT and completed his last nine years of service as the Division Engineer at the Asheville Division 13 office. Being an avid sportsman, he loved to golf, watch sports of all kinds with his wife, especially the Braves, NASCAR racing and golf.
In addition to his mother; he is survived by his wife of 40 years, Frances L. Smart of Fairview; a brother, John H. Smart, Jr. and his wife, Nancy of Bostic; three brothers- in-law, Charles of Forest City, Joe Langford and his wife, Sarah of Lena, MS, and Ben Langford and his wife, Betty of Jackson, MS; ten very special nieces and nephews, Kellie Nitschke and husband, Scott, Melissa Brown and husband, Chad, Michele Langford, Amelia Langford, Mary Young and husband, John, John Smart III and wife, Jennifer, Steve Langford and wife, Amy, David Langford and wife, Kelly, Marc Duncan and wife, Karen and Brandon Duncan; ten very special great- nieces and nephews and a very special young lady, Katie Myers Krier and husband, R.J. of Parker, CO.
The funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, in the chapel of Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian with the Rev. Darryl Searcy officiating.
The family will receive friends from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home on Long Shoals Road. Burial will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday at the Cool Springs Cemetery in Forest City.
Pallbearers will be nephews, Steve Langford, David Langford, John Smart III, Scott Nitschke, Ronnie Blevins and Scott Cook.
The family would like to thank the staff of doctors and nurses, especially, Dr. David Hurd of NC Baptist Hospital, Winston Salem, the NCBH nurses 9th floor, the nurses at Mission Hospital, St. Joseph Campus 10th floor and the nurses at Mission outpatient Infusion Center, Asheville.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, 120 Executive Park, Building 1, Asheville, NC 28801, CarePartners Hospice, P.O. Box 25338, Asheville, NC 28813 or Asheville Humane Society, 81 Thompson St., Asheville, NC 28803.
A memorial register is available at www.grocefuneralhome.com