Daryl Franklin Smith

Daryl Franklin Smith was born on August 3, 1956, in Nevada, Missouri, to William Franklin Smith and Elma Irene (McClanahan) Smith. He left for Heaven on January 18, 2025. 

He was the third of five children that made up a rural farm family where eating three home cooked meals a day, playing in the dirt, church, and chores were part of daily life. Daryl spent all of his school years at Schell City Public Schools and graduated with the class of 1974. In Elementary School he loved to play in Summer League Baseball. In High School he was a member of the Basketball and Track Teams. He attended Schell City Christian Church where he was baptized as a young man and was baptized again as an adult where he joined the Baptist Church. 

Daryl and Janet Hopkins met and were married in 1974. In June of last summer they celebrated 50 years of marriage with their kids and grandkids while on a trip to Orange Beach. Not long after being married a job opportunity brought them to Claremore where they lived the next 49 years. His jobs over the years were most often connected with the Concrete and Readi Mix Business, a job he became interested in after High School when he was introduced to that trade by older brother Terry. Over the years he worked for Custom Brick, Jack Kissee Ford, Anchor Concrete, Concrete Industries, Rainbow Concrete, APAC, and A&M Concrete. In August of 2023 he retired from Dolese Brothers as Director of Operations. 

Daryl loved to duck hunt with son, Zack and deer hunt with youngest son, Dustee. Still able to bag a deer off of Dustee's patio this year. But his true passion was fishing. He fished in many a mudhole as a youngster often in his underwear, photographic proof exists. He enjoyed running trot lines, cat fishing, snagging spoonbill, and crappie fishing. But he most assuredly loved to bass fish where he made many life long friends.

He was an active member of Claremore First Baptist for 37 years and a member of the Feese Small Group. When sons Zack and Dustee were growing up he loved to watch their activities. When grandkids Jayce, Reagan, Kynlee and Caden arrived he was thrilled to watch each stage in their lives. 

Daryl took enormous pride in his sons and the Christian example that is shining through in their families lives.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Franklin and Winkie Smith, father-in-law, Fred Hopkins, mother-in-law, Sadie Harrison, and brother-in-law, Mike Campbell. 

He is survived by his wife, Janet, son, Zack and wife Andrea of Inola, son, Dustee and wife Alisha of Zena, grandchildren, Jayce, Reagan, Kynlee and Caden Smith; brother, Terry Smith and wife Mary of Schell City, MO; sister, Kathie McWherter and husband Ken of Webb City, MO, Diane Eslinger and husband Rick of Schell, and Melissa Eiserer and husband Hank of Carrollton, MO; brother-in-law, Steve Hopkins of Claremore; sisters-in-law, Sharon Campbell of Claremore and Patti Catt of Glenwood Springs, Colorado as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. 

Donations may be made in his memory to the CFB Disaster Relief Fund and Gideons International.