Charles Ota "C.O." Smith Sr., 81, of Shady Spring, Raleigh County, W.Va., died on 13 Dec 1978 in Hinton Hospital, Summers County, W.Va., after a brief illness. He was born in Abraham, Raleigh County, a son of George Washington Smith Jr. and his first wife Emily Alice Vandall Smith.

Mr. Smith was a retired engineer with the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway and a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. He served as constable of Richmond District, Raleigh County.

He was a member of the Pluto Missionary Baptist Church, known as the Old Log Church, Richmond District.

In 1915 he married Flora Lee Arthur, a daughter of Charles William Arthur and wife Caroline "Carrie" Janney Arthur.

He was survived by his wife; nine children: Charles O. Smith Jr., Dempsey Rudolph Smith, Jesse Sebird Smith, Robert Noel Smith, Louella Ethel Smith Goodson, Juanita Flora Smith Fitzgerald, Carrie Eileen Smith Mann, June Elizabeth Smith Westfall, Rachel Marie Smith Richmond; three half-brothers, Earl George Smith, Carl Eugene Smith and Everett Abraham Smith; two half sisters, Golda Smith Fox and Eda Smith Ellison; 38 grandchildren and 40 great grandchildren.

Funeral services were held in the Rose and Quesenberry Funeral Home Peace Chapel, Beckley, with the Rev. Owen Lilly officiating. Burial was in Sunset Memorial Park, Beckley.

SOURCES: Smith family obituaries.
Information courtesy of E.M. Smith, # 47134804

Charles Ota "C.O." Smith Sr., 81, of Shady Spring, Raleigh County, W.Va., died on 13 Dec 1978 in Hinton Hospital, Summers County, W.Va., after a brief illness. He was born in Abraham, Raleigh County, a son of George Washington Smith Jr. and his first wife Emily Alice Vandall Smith.

Mr. Smith was a retired engineer with the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway and a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. He served as constable of Richmond District, Raleigh County.

He was a member of the Pluto Missionary Baptist Church, known as the Old Log Church, Richmond District.

In 1915 he married Flora Lee Arthur, a daughter of Charles William Arthur and wife Caroline "Carrie" Janney Arthur.

He was survived by his wife; nine children: Charles O. Smith Jr., Dempsey Rudolph Smith, Jesse Sebird Smith, Robert Noel Smith, Louella Ethel Smith Goodson, Juanita Flora Smith Fitzgerald, Carrie Eileen Smith Mann, June Elizabeth Smith Westfall, Rachel Marie Smith Richmond; three half-brothers, Earl George Smith, Carl Eugene Smith and Everett Abraham Smith; two half sisters, Golda Smith Fox and Eda Smith Ellison; 38 grandchildren and 40 great grandchildren.

Funeral services were held in the Rose and Quesenberry Funeral Home Peace Chapel, Beckley, with the Rev. Owen Lilly officiating. Burial was in Sunset Memorial Park, Beckley.

SOURCES: Smith family obituaries.
Information courtesy of E.M. Smith, # 47134804