Jewell Hamilton Smith, 88, of Brookhaven, died Friday, June 10,2011, at his residence.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, June 13, atHeuck’s Retreat Baptist Church in Brookhaven with burial in thechurch cemetery. Visitation is Sunday from 5 until 9 p.m. atBrookhaven Funeral Home on Natchez Drive.

Mr. Smith was born on Sept. 8, 1922, in Lincoln County to LillieCoker Smith and Robert K. Smith. He was a member and deacon ofHeuck’s Retreat Baptist Church, where he served as chairman of thecemetery committee for numerous years. He was a United States Armyveteran of World War II.

He started dairy farming when he was 19 years old in 1943 andcontinued for 55 years until he retired in 1998. He was a member ofthe Lincoln County Co-op for over 20 years where he was recognizedseveral times as Dairyman of the Year. He was a member of theCattleman’s Association, American Jersey Cattle Club, and formermember of the board of Dairymen Incorporated. He had served from1963-1998 in various positions with the USDA County Committee.

Mr. Smith was instrumental in bringing electricity to the ruralcommunities. He had served on the Magnolia Electric Board where hehad been given emeritus status. He served for three years on theSouth Mississippi Electric Board of Directors. He also had servedas district commissioner for the Lincoln County Soil and WaterConservation District and also served as elections commissioner forDistrict Two of Lincoln County.

He was one of the charter members and founding fathers of theLincoln Rural Water Association that was established in 1969. Heworked hard by going door to door getting information in order toget water to the rural areas. He was the general manager for oneyear and president and a board member from 1969 until he retired inOctober 1993.

Mr. Smith was preceded in death by his parents, Lillie CokerSmith and Robert K. Smith; his wife, Aileen Nations Smith; hissiblings, Bertile Haley, Myrtle Free, Robert E. Smith and E. EarlSmith; and his grandson, Jared Lance Smith.

Survivors include his wife, Betty Britt Smith, of Brookhaven;his daughters, Jane Smith Flowers and husband, David, and MarshaBritt Warren and husband, Mike, all of Wesson; his grandchildren,Jake Hamilton Smith, Trevor and Hannah Davis, Michael Warren andwife, Mandy, Casey Warren and wife, Mindy, Brandon Warren and wife,Whitney, Justin Warren and wife, Shannon, Peyton Flowers, ParkerFlowers and Maggie Flowers; and six great-grandchildren.

He also leaves behind special friends, Don Sandifer, TillmonBishop and Ricky Levi.

Special thanks to Hospice Compassus and Carly Dominique, BobbieFultz, Heather Wilson and the Rev. Billy Joe Deer.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice Compassusor to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.