Billy B. Smith
Billy B. Smith of Campbellsville, son of the late Howard Smith and Opal Phillips Smith, was born April 3, 1933, in Taylor County, Kentucky. He died at 5:30 P.M., Tuesday, July 11, 2017 in Campbellsville. Age: 84
He professed faith in Christ and was a member of Campbellsville Baptist Church.
Billy B. was a graduate of Campbellsville High School in 1951, where he excelled as a student and athlete, Campbellsville Junior College in 1953, Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, in 1955 and held a Master’s Degree from the University of Kentucky, with additional hours.
In 1985, he retired after thirty years of teaching at Taylor County High School. He coached basketball for seventeen years at Taylor County High School, averaging 18 wins per season. He also taught and coached one year in Florida.
He also coached baseball for 8 years and served as full-time Athletic Director for five years.
He was Past President of the Kentucky High School Coaches Association in 1975, served as President of the Southern Kentucky Athletic Conference for ten years, member of the Fifth Region Athletic Directors Hall of Fame and member of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame.
As a student at Campbellsville High School, he played basketball in the quarter final of the State Tournament his Junior year and was voted best player in the Region his Senior year. He made all conference, district, region and numerous tournament teams and honorable mention all state Junior and Senior years. He also played baseball in high school and made all conference and district.
At Campbellsville Junior College, he played basketball and the team won the Kentucky Junior College Conference and went to the National Tourney in Hutchison, Kansas. While at Campbellsville Junior College, he set a two-year scoring record in the Kentucky Junior College Conference.
At Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, he played basketball as a starter for two years and was co-captain.
Billy B. served in many capacities for the City of Campbellsville and Taylor County, including serving two separate terms as a director of the Campbellsville-Taylor County Chamber of Commerce; President of the Campbellsville-Taylor County Chamber of Commerce; two terms on the Taylor County Hospital Board of Directors; and serving as Chairman three times. He was also Campbellsville-Taylor County citizen of the year runner-up in 1975, received the Distinguished Alumnus award from Campbellsville University in 1980 and was in the first class of inductees into the Campbellsville College/University Athletic Hall of Fame.
Billy B. also served as a member of the Advisory Board of Campbellsville University and member of the Historical Committee of Campbellsville University. He was a member of numerous farm and livestock organizations, including serving as director of the Green River Feeder Calf Association, a member of the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association, Taylor County Agriculture Council, President of the County Agriculture 2000 committee, and a member of the Agriculture Department Council and County Extension District Board.
He owned and operated the Taylor County Stockyards in partnership with family for many years and had previously worked there fifty years before his departure in 1998.
Something that Billy B. was extremely proud of was being the first teacher from Taylor County High School to be asked to make the graduation speech the year he retired.
Billy B. proudly stated, “I have had numerous accomplishments that I am very proud of; however, I think the thing I am most proud of is the fact that I have many, many friends and I feel I am very well respected in the community.”
He united in marriage to Vonda Davis Wilson November 7, 1985.
Besides his wife, Vonda Smith of Campbellsville, he is survived by one son and one daughter: Ron Smith and wife, Joyce, of Louisville and Michelle Norris and husband, Timothy, of Cincinnati, Ohio; one step-son, Bob Wilson of Campbellsville; three grandchildren: Joshua Smith of Louisville, Katherine Norris and Christopher Norris of Cincinnati; one step-sister, Betty Jane Gorin-Smith and husband, Gordon, of Campbellsville; several nieces and nephews, and many other relatives and friends.
He was also preceded in death by a brother, Carl Smith, June 5, 1997 and his step-mother, Floye Minor Smith.
VISITATION: 4:00 – 8:00 P.M., Friday, July 14, 2017 at Parrott & Ramsey Funeral Home
FUNERAL SERVICE: 11:00 A.M., Saturday, July 15, 2017 at Parrott & Ramsey Funeral Home by Dr. James E. Jones
BURIAL: Brookside Cemetery
EXPRESSIONS OF SYMPATHY REQUESTED TO BE DONATIONS TO THE ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION, BROOKSIDE CEMETERY OR THE HIESTAND HOUSE MUSEUM AND MAY BE MADE AT PARROTT & RAMSEY FUNERAL HOME
