SMITH (VETERAN KOR), HARRY LEE - Wheeler County, Texas | HARRY LEE SMITH (VETERAN KOR) - Texas Gravestone Photos

Harry Lee SMITH (VETERAN KOR)

Wheeler Cemetery
Wheeler County,
Texas

US Navy Reserve
Korea
September 26, 1929-February 20, 2009

*Photo, courtesy of Robert L. Jones

*Obituary
WHEELER - Harry Lee Smith, 79, died Friday, Feb. 20, 2009, in Tucson, Ariz.

Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Monday in Wheeler Cemetery with the Rev. Rodney Weatherly officiating. Attendees are requested to meet prior to the service at Wright Funeral Home, 508 S. Canadian St., in Wheeler.

Harry was born Sept. 26, 1929, in Wheeler to Edd L. Smith and Ethelyne Richardson Smith. He graduated from high school in 1948 in Phillips. He played football in Phillips under the legendary Coach Chesty Walker. Coach Walker introduced Harry to Coach Frank Kimbrough at West Texas State College, and Harry was awarded a four-year football scholarship at WT. Harry played wingback and safety for the Buffaloes and played on the Border Conference Championship team in 1950 and subsequent 1951 Sun Bowl Championship team. Harry graduated from WT in 1952. In 1948, Coach Kimbrough had all of his football players join either the National Guard or Naval Reserve. Harry joined the Naval Reserve and was called to active duty upon his graduation in 1952. He served during the Korean War and was discharged in 1955.

After his discharge from the Navy, Harry coached football, golf and tennis in the Tucson, Ariz., public schools until his retirement.

Harry was an avid sports fan and sportsman. He loved his German short-haired bird dogs and hunting mearns quail in southern Arizona. He was an outstanding wing shot with his 28-gauge shotguns. For almost 20 years, Harry lived in Montana in the summers, fly fishing the Madison and Gallitan rivers and in Yellowstone Park, the Firehole and Yellowstone rivers. He was expert enough at fly fishing that he could have been a guide, but his personality was such that he could not tolerate most of the novices he would have to guide.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Ann Wilson of Claude.

Survivors include a cousin, Joe Weatherly of Wheeler; two nephews, David Massick of Gordonville and Rickey Massick of Tulsa, Okla.; and a niece, Nikki Anne Mitchell of Florida.

Sign the online guest book at www.wrightfuneraldirectors.com.

Amarillo Globe-News, March 1, 2009

Contributed on 12/26/21

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Record #: 475596

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Submitted: 12/26/21 • Approved: 12/28/21 • Last Updated: 12/31/21 • R475596-G0-S3

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