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The only military information avaliable for Curtis is found in his obituary below.
Curtis passed away December 24, 2022 at Lavaca, Sebastian Co., Ar. His burial was in Lavaca City Cemetery, Lavaca, Arkansas.
Curtis Neal Smithson, 85, passed away on Saturday, December 24, 2022, at home in Lavaca, Arkansas surrounded by his family. He was born March 18, 1937, to Grady and Jean (O'Dell) Smithson in Lavaca.
He married on May 8, 1958, also in Lavaca. He was a graduate of Lavaca high school and an Air Force veteran.
He is survived by his wife of 64 years; one son, two daughters, two brothers, and one sister, eight grandchildren, and eleven great-grandchildren.
After his military service, he earned both a bachelor's degree in history from Arkansas State in Jonesboro, Arkansas, and a master's degree in Religious Education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. Curtis served as a Baptist minister for churches in Arkansas, Texas, and Wyoming. From 1980-1982 he was a Director of Missions for Grayson County Baptist Association in Denison, Texas.
Prior to full-time ministry Curtis taught mathematics and physics at Lavaca High School, while also serving at Ione Baptist Church. Curtis began his graduate work at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary while a full-time pastor in Celeste, Texas. He did foreign mission work in Japan, Brazil, and Honduras. While serving at First Baptist Church in Lavaca, Arkansas, he travelled to Casper, Wyoming on a mission trip with his church. Later, he was able to serve full-time in Casper at College Heights Baptist Church, which fulfilled a calling he felt during that trip. He retired from full-time ministry in 1999 and returned home to Lavaca to enjoy retirement. However, God was not finished with him yet. In 2000 he was called to Union Baptist Church in Lavaca and served there for 14 years.
Funeral service will be at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, December 29, 2022 at First Baptist Church in Lavaca, AR. with interment at Lavaca City Cemetery. Visitation will be 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Lewis Funeral Chapel in Lavaca, AR.
Pallbearers will be Curtis Smithson, Luke Underwood, Bethany Lee, Leah Washington, Josiah Horton, Gary Stem. Honorary pallbearers will be Norris Jennings, Tom Reed, Danny Gann, Tom Dewey, Justin Tate, Greg McGuire, Ken Hartley, Jerry Walker, Homer Morris.
