Ralph W. Smith, Jr.

Ralph W. Smith, Jr., age 88 of Hyde Park Dr., Asheville NC, went home to be with the Lord on July 4, 2017 at the Hospice Center of the Charles George VA Medical Center of Asheville. He was Navy Veteran. He was born in Hardinsburg, Kentucky on June 9, 1929 to Ralph Wesner Smith, Sr. and Leah Matthews Smith. When a year old, his parents and he moved to Enka, NC, where he lived a big part of that life in Enka Village. He was previously employed at the American Enka Corp./BASF, where he worked for 38 years as an Associate Chemist. He had been a member of Enka Baptist Church for 85 years and served as a Deacon for 50 years. Survivors include his wife, Alene Kinsland-Smith, to whom he was married for 18 years; a daughter from his first marriage to Mary "Kitty" Johnson Smith, Kathleen Smith Flint of Fletcher (Randy); two sons from his first marriage, Marvin Smith (Shirley) and Gary Smith (Debbie) of Fletcher. The Lord blessed him with six grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. His step-daughter from his marriage to Alene Kinsland-Smith is Lisa Knollman (Mark) of Biltmore Lake; stepson Larry Kinsland (JoAnn) of Kansas City, Missouri; with his extended family from his current wife Alene of four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Ralph was preceded in death in 1997 by his first wife, to whom he was married 51 years, Mary Kathryn "Kitty" Johnson Smith; a brother Harold Smith, a WWII Veteran; a sister, Wanda Smith Jenkins (Morris) of Wilmington, NC; and a niece Kaye Francis Jenkins of Wilmington, NC. The family would like to extend their sincerest appreciation to the Hospice Wing at the Charles George VA Medical Center in Oteen, NC, Palliative Care of Care Partners of Asheville, and also the Solace Center of Asheville. There aren't enough words to express how much our husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend to so many was loved. He was an honorable man, a faithful husband, a wonderful father, uncle, grandfather and great-grandfather, and to so many, a friend loyal in friendship and deeds to the end. He was also a man who loved life, loved to "kid" and "cut up", and was able to keep his great sense of humor right up to the end. He will be greatly missed by all whose lives he touched. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday at Enka Baptist Church, with the Revs. Chris L. Reese and Ron Brown officiating. Interment with Military Honors will follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, with the Rev. G. Scott Lynch officiating. The family will receive friends from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. Saturday at the church, prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Enka Baptist Church, PO Box 219, Enka, NC 28728. Groce Funeral Home on Patton Ave. is assisting the family.