Clifford Smith was a self-made man if there ever was one. He was born in 1910 at Fouke, Arkansas, the youngest son in a family of 11 children. His father was a cotton farmer with 80 acres. His home was an unpainted four-room house. Life was hard in those days and the children worked on the farm. He quit school in the 11th grade and tried running a service station and farming, during the Great Depression in 1929. The year he farmed, he sold his cotton crop for five cents a pound and, after paying his hired hands, he had $10 left. He decided there must be an easier way to earn a living and he went back to school.
He finished high school and decided to attend college. He rode on a freight train to Russellville, Arkansas, where he enrolled at Arkansas Tech. He had no money, so he went to the admissions office and told them he wanted to go to school and needed a job. The school president gave him a job raking leaves for 10 cents an hour. At the time, Tech was a two-year school, so he transferred to the University of Arkansas where he graduated with a degree in agriculture. He was the first member of his family to complete college. His respect for education was passed on to his grandchildren who all have college degrees. He was later appointed to the University Board of Trustees by Governor Sid McMath. The university awarded him Trustee Emeritus in 1975.
After graduation, he was employed as a county agent. He was assistant county agent in Mt. Ida, Arkansas, and the county agent in Washington county, where he also taught at the University of Arkansas.
After a few years as a county agent, he quit to organize the Arkansas Farmers Co-op, now S.F. Services. He started the co-op to help farmers as many had gone bankrupt during the Depression and lost their farms. The co-op was successful and had stores in all of the counties in Arkansas. He served as the general manager of the co-ops until he resigned in 1955 to start the North Little Rock Funeral Home.
He started the funeral home because of his desire to have his own business and the idea of a business that helped people appealed to him. He was probably one of the few people to found a funeral home that never worked in one. Clifford was a promoter and he worked tirelessly to make the home successful. He had very little money and almost did not make it because of his lack of capital. He also founded the funeral homes insurance company, American Home Life Insurance Company. Through his leadership, the funeral home grew to become one of the largest funeral homes in Arkansas.
He worked very hard and had a strong desire to be successful as would be found in any individual. However, his desire was not for money. He never knew how much money he had in the bank or balanced his checkbook. He never seemed to care how much money a family spent only that the funeral home had served the family properly.
In 1990, when he was 80 years old, he found Alcoholics Anonymous. Even though Clifford was religious, he could never conquer his drinking until he joined the A.A. program. He devoted the same tireless energy to the fellowship as he did his business, and he helped many younger than himself conquer their drinking.
Dad, Granddad, had his faults as we all do, but he always loved his family and put their interest ahead of his own. He leaves a wonderful legacy of a Christian and compassionate man.
Clifford L. Smith, 90, of North Little Rock, passed away on Saturday, March 17, 2001.
He was predeceased by his wife, Frances McElroy Smith. Survivors include his son and daughter-in-law, John and Kay Smith; daughter and son-in-law, Anne and Bob Black; six grandchildren, J.L., Jeff, and Stephen Smith, Leslie Clement, Stephanie Ott, and Michael Powell; and seven great-grandchildren.
He finished high school and decided to attend college. He rode on a freight train to Russellville, Arkansas, where he enrolled at Arkansas Tech. He had no money, so he went to the admissions office and told them he wanted to go to school and needed a job. The school president gave him a job raking leaves for 10 cents an hour. At the time, Tech was a two-year school, so he transferred to the University of Arkansas where he graduated with a degree in agriculture. He was the first member of his family to complete college. His respect for education was passed on to his grandchildren who all have college degrees. He was later appointed to the University Board of Trustees by Governor Sid McMath. The university awarded him Trustee Emeritus in 1975.
After graduation, he was employed as a county agent. He was assistant county agent in Mt. Ida, Arkansas, and the county agent in Washington county, where he also taught at the University of Arkansas.
After a few years as a county agent, he quit to organize the Arkansas Farmers Co-op, now S.F. Services. He started the co-op to help farmers as many had gone bankrupt during the Depression and lost their farms. The co-op was successful and had stores in all of the counties in Arkansas. He served as the general manager of the co-ops until he resigned in 1955 to start the North Little Rock Funeral Home.
He started the funeral home because of his desire to have his own business and the idea of a business that helped people appealed to him. He was probably one of the few people to found a funeral home that never worked in one. Clifford was a promoter and he worked tirelessly to make the home successful. He had very little money and almost did not make it because of his lack of capital. He also founded the funeral homes insurance company, American Home Life Insurance Company. Through his leadership, the funeral home grew to become one of the largest funeral homes in Arkansas.
He worked very hard and had a strong desire to be successful as would be found in any individual. However, his desire was not for money. He never knew how much money he had in the bank or balanced his checkbook. He never seemed to care how much money a family spent only that the funeral home had served the family properly.
In 1990, when he was 80 years old, he found Alcoholics Anonymous. Even though Clifford was religious, he could never conquer his drinking until he joined the A.A. program. He devoted the same tireless energy to the fellowship as he did his business, and he helped many younger than himself conquer their drinking.
Dad, Granddad, had his faults as we all do, but he always loved his family and put their interest ahead of his own. He leaves a wonderful legacy of a Christian and compassionate man.
Clifford L. Smith, 90, of North Little Rock, passed away on Saturday, March 17, 2001.
He was predeceased by his wife, Frances McElroy Smith. Survivors include his son and daughter-in-law, John and Kay Smith; daughter and son-in-law, Anne and Bob Black; six grandchildren, J.L., Jeff, and Stephen Smith, Leslie Clement, Stephanie Ott, and Michael Powell; and seven great-grandchildren.
Clifford Smith was a self-made man if there ever was one. He was born in 1910 at Fouke, Arkansas, the youngest son in a family of 11 children. His father was a cotton farmer with 80 acres. His home was an unpainted four-room house. Life was hard in those days and the children worked on the farm. He quit school in the 11th grade and tried running a service station and farming, during the Great Depression in 1929. The year he farmed, he sold his cotton crop for five cents a pound and, after paying his hired hands, he had $10 left. He decided there must be an easier way to earn a living and he went back to school.
He finished high school and decided to attend college. He rode on a freight train to Russellville, Arkansas, where he enrolled at Arkansas Tech. He had no money, so he went to the admissions office and told them he wanted to go to school and needed a job. The school president gave him a job raking leaves for 10 cents an hour. At the time, Tech was a two-year school, so he transferred to the University of Arkansas where he graduated with a degree in agriculture. He was the first member of his family to complete college. His respect for education was passed on to his grandchildren who all have college degrees. He was later appointed to the University Board of Trustees by Governor Sid McMath. The university awarded him Trustee Emeritus in 1975.
After graduation, he was employed as a county agent. He was assistant county agent in Mt. Ida, Arkansas, and the county agent in Washington county, where he also taught at the University of Arkansas.
After a few years as a county agent, he quit to organize the Arkansas Farmers Co-op, now S.F. Services. He started the co-op to help farmers as many had gone bankrupt during the Depression and lost their farms. The co-op was successful and had stores in all of the counties in Arkansas. He served as the general manager of the co-ops until he resigned in 1955 to start the North Little Rock Funeral Home.
He started the funeral home because of his desire to have his own business and the idea of a business that helped people appealed to him. He was probably one of the few people to found a funeral home that never worked in one. Clifford was a promoter and he worked tirelessly to make the home successful. He had very little money and almost did not make it because of his lack of capital. He also founded the funeral homes insurance company, American Home Life Insurance Company. Through his leadership, the funeral home grew to become one of the largest funeral homes in Arkansas.
He worked very hard and had a strong desire to be successful as would be found in any individual. However, his desire was not for money. He never knew how much money he had in the bank or balanced his checkbook. He never seemed to care how much money a family spent only that the funeral home had served the family properly.
In 1990, when he was 80 years old, he found Alcoholics Anonymous. Even though Clifford was religious, he could never conquer his drinking until he joined the A.A. program. He devoted the same tireless energy to the fellowship as he did his business, and he helped many younger than himself conquer their drinking.
Dad, Granddad, had his faults as we all do, but he always loved his family and put their interest ahead of his own. He leaves a wonderful legacy of a Christian and compassionate man.
Clifford L. Smith, 90, of North Little Rock, passed away on Saturday, March 17, 2001.
He was predeceased by his wife, Frances McElroy Smith. Survivors include his son and daughter-in-law, John and Kay Smith; daughter and son-in-law, Anne and Bob Black; six grandchildren, J.L., Jeff, and Stephen Smith, Leslie Clement, Stephanie Ott, and Michael Powell; and seven great-grandchildren.
He finished high school and decided to attend college. He rode on a freight train to Russellville, Arkansas, where he enrolled at Arkansas Tech. He had no money, so he went to the admissions office and told them he wanted to go to school and needed a job. The school president gave him a job raking leaves for 10 cents an hour. At the time, Tech was a two-year school, so he transferred to the University of Arkansas where he graduated with a degree in agriculture. He was the first member of his family to complete college. His respect for education was passed on to his grandchildren who all have college degrees. He was later appointed to the University Board of Trustees by Governor Sid McMath. The university awarded him Trustee Emeritus in 1975.
After graduation, he was employed as a county agent. He was assistant county agent in Mt. Ida, Arkansas, and the county agent in Washington county, where he also taught at the University of Arkansas.
After a few years as a county agent, he quit to organize the Arkansas Farmers Co-op, now S.F. Services. He started the co-op to help farmers as many had gone bankrupt during the Depression and lost their farms. The co-op was successful and had stores in all of the counties in Arkansas. He served as the general manager of the co-ops until he resigned in 1955 to start the North Little Rock Funeral Home.
He started the funeral home because of his desire to have his own business and the idea of a business that helped people appealed to him. He was probably one of the few people to found a funeral home that never worked in one. Clifford was a promoter and he worked tirelessly to make the home successful. He had very little money and almost did not make it because of his lack of capital. He also founded the funeral homes insurance company, American Home Life Insurance Company. Through his leadership, the funeral home grew to become one of the largest funeral homes in Arkansas.
He worked very hard and had a strong desire to be successful as would be found in any individual. However, his desire was not for money. He never knew how much money he had in the bank or balanced his checkbook. He never seemed to care how much money a family spent only that the funeral home had served the family properly.
In 1990, when he was 80 years old, he found Alcoholics Anonymous. Even though Clifford was religious, he could never conquer his drinking until he joined the A.A. program. He devoted the same tireless energy to the fellowship as he did his business, and he helped many younger than himself conquer their drinking.
Dad, Granddad, had his faults as we all do, but he always loved his family and put their interest ahead of his own. He leaves a wonderful legacy of a Christian and compassionate man.
Clifford L. Smith, 90, of North Little Rock, passed away on Saturday, March 17, 2001.
He was predeceased by his wife, Frances McElroy Smith. Survivors include his son and daughter-in-law, John and Kay Smith; daughter and son-in-law, Anne and Bob Black; six grandchildren, J.L., Jeff, and Stephen Smith, Leslie Clement, Stephanie Ott, and Michael Powell; and seven great-grandchildren.
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