Archie Smith Jr.

Archie was born May 17, 1925 in Newton, NC and was a lifelong resident of Asheville. He was preceded in death by his parents, Archie Smith Sr. and Valree Summey Smith; sons, Jerry Smith and Don Burleson; sister, Martha Green; grandson, Rory Phillips and great-grandson Devan Phillips.

He was in the meat business for 56 years and retired as salesman with Valleydale Meat Packing Company and Asheville Packing Company.

Archie was a veteren T/Sgt. and a Platoon Sgt., 604 Co. K, 14th Infantry in WW II with a EAME Service Medal; 2 Bronze Stars; Good Conduct Medal; WW II Victory Medal and the Occupation Ribbon ETO.  He served in the European Theater Operation (ETO) in Rhineland and Central Europe.

Surviving are his wife of 57 years, Gelene Burleson Smith; daughters, Gail S. Crawford and Chris Smith-Hagood of Asheville, Gwenda S. Phillips and Donna S. Hamlin of Candler; sons, Ronnie H. Smith and Lanny K. Smith of Candler, A. Wayne Smith of Asheville; sisters, Dorothy Bowman and Ina Allen of Asheville; 26 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren.

Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday in the Patton Avenue Chapel of Groce Funeral with the Revs. Enoch Ball Jr and Dennis Thurman officiating. Burial will follow in Pisgah View Memorial Park.

Music will be provided by Terry Allen, Archie's nephew and by Rev. Enoch G. Ball Jr. Pallbearers will be grandsons, Lanny (Willie) Smith, Jr., Andy Smith, Adam Crawford, Tyson Phillips, Logan Phillips, Justin Smith, Jimmy Burleson and David Burleson.

Military graveside rites will be conducted by the Buncombe County Veterans Council Volunteer Memorial Team.

In lieu of flowers, memorial may be made to the Rory Phillips Memorial Scholarship Fund, his grandson, at Centura Bank, 1007 Smokey Park Hwy., Candler, NC 28715 or to Pole Creek Baptist Church Building Fund, 96 Snowhill Church Rd, Candler, NC 28715 or to Mountain Area Hospice, PO Box 16, Asheville, NC 28802.