Joseph B. "J. B." Smith, Sr., 88 of Black Rock died Saturday, February 07, 2015 at Lawrence Memorial Hospital in Walnut Ridge. He was born on July 23, 1926 in Heber Springs to Leticca Gentry Smith and Mary Lee Gardner Smith Starnes. On March 22, 1948 he married Ruth Winchester in Hoxie. He was a WWll army veteran serving in the European theater and also served during the Korean conflict. After leaving the army J. B. worked as a bank teller and was in business as a dairy farmer for forty years. He was a member of the Mt. Vernon Baptist Church near Black Rock.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Joseph B. "Joey" Smith, Jr.; half brother, Johnny Frank Starnes, stepfather, William H. Starnes, Sr.; three older half brothers and four older half sisters.

Survivors include his wife, Ruth of the home; half brother, William H. Starnes, Jr. of Durand. IL, half sisters, Dee Dee Bates and Yvonne Saeger, both of Cherokee Village; grandsons, Dustin Smith and David Smith; daughter-in-law, Kay Smith of Black Rock; great grandchildren, Allison, Piper, Brady, Weston and Dayton Smith.

Visitation will be Monday, February 9, 2015 from 10 am until 12 pm in Cox Funeral Home Chapel. Funeral services will immediately follow in Cox Funeral Home Chapel with Blake Shaw officiating. Burial will follow in Oak Forest Cemetery in Black Rock.

Pallbearers: Joe Collins, Chad Chadwick, Matt Chadwick, Bryan Butts, Eric Vance and Rick Snow.

Honorary: Eddie Chadwick, David Clark, Bob Vance and Keith Robertson.