THOMAS RAY "TOM" SMITH, 59, of Point Lookout, Mo., died Aug. 18, 2008, at the Cancer Treatment Center in Tulsa, Okla. at the age of 59.

He was born Oct. 28, 1948, at Green Forest, the son of John Boyd and Etheleen Heard Smith Sr. He graduated from the College of the Ozarks and received his masters degree in 1975 from the University of Arkansas. He was a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War. He was of the Methodist faith, was active with the Branson, Mo., Veterans Task Force, and was a professor of Agriculture at the College of the Ozarks for the past 33 years.

At the College of the Ozarks, his involvements, activities, and honors consisted of coach of the C of O dairy judging team, assistant professor of agriculture with courses specializing in dairy production, dairy cattle selection, artificial breeding and intercollegiate judging, assisted with barn warming and spring fling activities associated with the annual agriculture department banquet, and assisted with the NAIA Division II national men's tournament on the campus.

He held leadership roles with the agriculture alumni chapter, was a character camp Laws of Life essay contest judge, annual guernsey sale coordinator, member of the north American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture, numerous faculty committees, annual FFA workshop leadership role with dairy judging, and a member of the local Point Lookout Alumni Chapter.

He was faculty athletic representative to the NAIA Division II Council for College of the Ozarks, MCAC representative to the conduct and ethics committee, C of O alumni council member. He helped with Boy Scout and 4-H activities held on campus, and was recipient of the meritorious award for distinguished service to the college. He was inducted into the Missouri Dairy Hall of Honors, was a member of the national and Missouri Holstein Association, a member of the Missouri Guernsey Association. He supported many dairy youth associations and activities, judged numerous youth and adult dairy shows at the state, regional and local levels, was captain of Branson Post #913 Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter, and was a successful track and field member as a student at the former School of the Ozarks.

He is survived by his wife, Susan Spates Smith of the home; his father, John Boyd Smith Sr. of Green Forest; a sister, Donna Elmore of Green Forest; and half-brother, Joey Smith of Green Forest.

Visitation will be held from 5 until 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 22, at Greenlawn Funeral Home in Branson. Funeral services are to be held Saturday, Aug. 23, at Williams Memorial Chapel at College of the Ozarks with Chaplain Dan Chinn and Justin Stephens officiating.

Burial will be at 10 a.m. Monday, Aug. 25, at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Springfield with military rites. Arrangements are under the direction of Greenlawn Funeral Home of Branson.

Memorial contributions are suggested in lieu of flowers to the College of the Ozarks Agriculture Scholarship Fund in his memory.