Jack D. Smothers

Jack D. Smothers, 81, of Galatia, died Monday (Jan. 7, 2013) at his home, surrounded by family and friends after a short illness. Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at the Clancy-Gernon Funeral Home, west Kankakee, where funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday. Burial will be in the Aroma Park Cemetery. Memorials may be made to VNA Plus Hospice, Eldorado Chapter, 610 E. Walnut St., Evansville, IN 47713. He was born Aug. 25, 1931, in Marion (Scottsboro). He served in the U.S. Army and was honorably discharged in 1960. He worked 31 years at the Ford Stamping Plant in Chicago Heights, retiring in 1991. He married the former Darlene Williamson in 1955 and she passed away June 20, 1994. He remarried on July 6, 2001, to the former Marie Burlison, who survives. He was a master of all trades self-teaching most of what he knew building two of his homes in Kankakee, remodeled two other homes along with many smaller building projects. He always had a huge vegetable garden and in recent years filled his yard with beautiful red geraniums that he protected each winter in a small greenhouse which of course he built. He took great pride in everything that he did and never said no to helping family and friends with any electrical, plumbing, or building projects. Aunt Eleanor said it best that his handprint remains on many homes. In addition to his wife Marie, he is survived by his children, Linda (Gary) Chouinard, of Kankakee, Amy (John) Brown, of Bradley, Charles (Kathy) Rice, of Peoria, Ariz., and Darlene (Kelly) Coats, of Kankakee; nine grandchildren, Audrey, Dustin, Lesley, Steven, Denise, Seth, Sienna, Brian and Adam; seven great-grandchildren, Raven, Aaron, Jilliana, Aamira, Rayah, Emma and Steven III; two brothers, John (Ellen) Smothers, of Hume, and Ken (Ellie) Smothers, of Newman;two sisters, Irene (Floyd) Scarrow, of Suffolk, Va., and Ruby Walters, of Lewes, Del. He is also survived by his Galatia family, Paul (Nancy) Medlin, of Franklin, Tenn., Sue (George) Wiggins, of Carlyle, and Chuck (Linda) Medlin, of Paducah, Ky.; and grandchildren, Chad (Kristen), Greg (Marion), Blair and Ellie. He was preceded in death by his parents; one son, Lynn Smothers; brothers, Gilbert Smothers, Carl Smothers and Claude Smothers; and sisters, Edna Norris and Nancy Pulley. Memorials may be made to VNA Plus Hospice, Eldorado chapter,, Evansville, IN - www.vnaplus.org/

Jack D. Smothers

August 25, 1931 - January 7, 2013