Artie Lee “Butch” Smith, Jr., 76, “waited upon the Lord… and mounted up with wings as eagles (Isaiah 40:31)” to be with Jesus his Savior after he succumbed to respiratory failure on Saturday, November 26, 2016.
Cremation was entrusted to Heartland Funeral and Cremation Service.
Artie was born on July 24, 1940 in Brownwood to Artie Sr. and Shirley Smith. He attended public schools in Brownwood and was a member of the Class of ’58 and played the trombone in the band. After jobs with Hudson Oil Company and the railroad, he owned and operated Art’s Shoe Repair after his father died in the early 80’s. He was truly and artist utilizing ingenuity and innovative approaches to fixing the unfixable. His quality of work was unsurpassed in a dying art of boot and shoe repair. Butch was definitely a beloved people-person and never met a stranger.
A ready smile greeted customers who frequently stopped by the shop just to chat about hunting, fishing, their health issues, or current events. He gave and loved unconditionally. He was often asked how he could earn a living with the prices he charged for work. His reply: “I have food to eat and a roof over my head. What more do I need?” As one customer said, “He’ll always be remembered for his good work of keeping shoes on people’s feet.”
He was compassionate to animals and bred registered Airedale terriers for a number of years. His hobbies included organic gardening of which he was masterful. Artie was an avid reader and especially enjoyed paperback westerns, mechanic/outdoor magazines, and watching old western movies. His favorite singer of gospel and country was Elvis Presley. Artie was a member of Victory Baptist Church.
Artie was preceded in death by his parents and many aunts and uncles. He is survived by his beloved sister and best friend, Carole Smith of Brownwood; four sons of Arkansas and Alabama; numerous grandchildren; first cousins, Claudia Scales Wells and Virginia Roach Healer along with numerous second cousins and his dog Rascal.
A memorial service/visitation will be held at 2:00 PM, Sunday, December 11 in the sanctuary of Coggin Avenue Baptist Church with Brother Tim Skaggs officiating. In lieu of flowers, Artie’s desire would be a donation in his name to St. Jude’s Children’s research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
Heartfelt appreciation to Songbird Lodge, Dr. Alan Cass, Dr. Gary Butka, and Dr. Marlen Strefling for their years of compassionate caring.