Terry Gene Smith, 79, of Cassville, Mo., passed away on Tuesday, May 5, 2026. He was on April 22, 1947. The firstborn son of Gene and Marietta (Terry) Smith, who preceded him in death. Also, preceding him in death was his younger brother, Britt Smith. 

Survivors include his younger sister, Sue, and her husband Gary Britton of Dallas, Texas; Rayna Smith and her husband Alex Woolbright of the Ozarks; Krista Smith and her husband John Healy along with their two children, Kennedy and Ryan of St. Petersburg, Fla.

In his youth, he was an All-American wrestler, a summer surfer, and a football champion at Washington High School in Fremont, California. To avoid the Draft, he enlisted in the United States Army in 1966. He attended Officer Candidate School, and was assigned to the 173rd Airborne division, as a Second Lieutenant. He served in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968, where he received a field promotion to First Lieutenant. He exited the Army with an Honorable discharge in 1969.

After leaving the Army, Terry returned home to Fresno, Calif. where he was employed as a firefighter. He and his wife, Pamela Day moved to Rocky Comfort, Mo. where they built the Indian Creek Greenhouse, ran summertime canoes on Mike’s Creek, and raised their daughters.

Graveside services with military honors were held Thursday, June 4, 2026, at Mo. Veterans Cemetery in Springfield, Mo., under direction of Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville.