Wayland Lee Smith, 70, died Sunday, January 9, 2005, at a local hospital. The family will be at Elmwood Funeral Home, 5750 Hwy 277 South from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday for visitation. The funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday at the Pioneer Drive Baptist Church with Dr. Jeff Reid officiating. Burial will follow in Elmwood Memorial Park. Mr. Smith was born on April 8, 1934, in Aransas Pass, Texas, the son of Charles and Jess[i]e Smith. He was raised in the Buckner Childrens Home in Dallas from 1942 to 1953 after his parents were killed in a car accident. He served in the U. S. Marines from 1954-1957 and married Marie Wilson on July 5, 1957, in Arlington. They came to Abilene in 1968 where he worked as an insurance adjuster until 1996 when he retired from State Farm Insurance. He was a member of Pioneer Baptist Church where he worked with the Nehemiah Group, making repairs to widows' homes. After his retirement, he worked together with his wife travelling to different places throughout the county constructing church buildings as a member of Church Builders. Mr. Smith enjoyed golfing, hunting and bowling with his son and spending time with his family. Survivors include his wife Marie of Abilene; one brother, Ellis and his wife Carol of San Antonio; one daughter, Vicky Hall and husband Charlie of Georgetown; one son, Kenneth Smith and wife Brenda of Abilene; four grandchildren, Caleb and Nathan Hall of Georgetown, Gina Gaither and husband Josiah and Melissa Smith of Abilene; one great-grandddaughter, Kaitlyn, Rylee Gaither. His parents and two brothers, Kenneth and Charles Weldon Smith, preceded him in death. Pallbearers for the service will be Kerry Williams, Bob Johnson, Bruce Proctor, Carl Dillion, Harold Comish and John Webb, Harlon Perrin, Virgil Stewardson, Dwight Painter, Henry Schiltz and Harley Daniel will be honorary pallbearers along with the members of the Nehemiah Group and Church Builders. In lieu of flowers, the family request memorials be made to Hendrick Hospice Care, 1682 Hickory, Abilene, Texas 79601. ABILENE (Texas) REPORTERNEWS, 11 Jan. 2001, p. 5AA.