John Walter (J.W.) Smith, 85, of East Gadsden died Thursday, March 21, 2019, peacefully at his home surrounded by family at the age of 85 following a brief illness. Services will be Wednesday, March 27, 2019 at 1 p.m. at Crestwood Memorial Funeral Home, with burial to follow at Crestwood Memorial Cemetery.  Crestwood Funeral Home is in charge.

J.W. was born in Gadsden on July 17, 1933, to the late Rev. Jessie Smith and Gladys Winningham Smith. He attended Etowah High School, class of 1951. He then went into the Navy for 2 years. While in the Navy, he married Peggy Johnson in January 1953 and started a family in 1954.  J.W. was a hard-working man who spent 36 years as a route salesman for Frito Lay. He was also the co-owner of 3-Way Auto Sales in Gadsden in the 1970s and was a life-long fan of professional "wrassling" (he refused to call it sports entertainment, because it was very real to him).

He was preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Peggy Johnson Smith, his mother and father, Gladys Winningham Smith and Jessie Smith, his brother Gerald Smith, and his son Don Smith. He is survived by his daughter Kay (Rick) Wordlaw, Southside; son Ray Smith, Southside; son Keith (Cynthia) Smith, Hoover; daughter-in-law Debbie Smith, Saks; granddaughters Amy (Brandon) Brooks, Christy Smith, Jessica Smith, Sarah Smith, Julianna Smith, step-granddaughter Amy (Jason) Proctor; grandsons Adam Hooks, David (Laura) Smith, Allan Smith, and step-grandson Brandon (Jamie) Wordlaw; great-granddaughters Kayla Brooks, Kalyn Smith, Desirae Smith, and Alexis Smith; step-great granddaughter Lauren Wordlaw;  great-grandson Logan Brooks; step-great grandsons Jase Proctor, Judd Proctor, and Brock Wordlaw, and numerous nieces and nephews. Pallbearers will be Doug Page, Josh Page, Joe Morgan, Craig Denney, Earl Bush, Ken Wilson, and Jim Anderson.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to WMU at Goodyear Heights Baptist Church.

The family would like to offer a special word of thanks to his sitter, Denise Worley, Amedysis Hospice nurse Jennifer Haney, and hospice aid Felicia Davidson, for the amazing tender and loving care they gave during J.W.'S final days. Also, thanks to his daughter Kay, for fulfilling her promise to her mother Peggy in caring for J.W. until the very end.

Visitation will be at 11 a.m. on Wednesday at Crestwood Funeral Home.