Ralph Lamont Smith

SMITH, Mr. Ralph Lamont - Age 55, passed away Sunday November 17, 2013 at his residence. Family hour 10:30AM Monday, November 25, 2013 from the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, 268 N. Perry St., with funeral service commencing immediately at 11:00AM. Pastor Earl O. Crump, officiating. Interment Perry Mount Park Cemetery, 878 N. Perry St., Friends and pallbearers will assemble at the funeral home 10:30AM Monday. Mr. Smith will lie in state in the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, from 10:00AM-5:00PM Sunday. Ralph Lamont Smith was born March 19, 1958 in Pontiac, Michigan to L.C. and Ruth (McDonald) Smith. He departed this life November 17, 2013. Ralph graduated from Pontiac Northern in 1976. In high school he was a star track and field athlete. He competed in the high jump and set a school record. Later he attended Oakland University studying law. After high school graduation, he was employed by the city of Pontiac where he worked on the maintenance and grounds crew for 20 years. He retired from the City of Pontiac in 1995. Ralph was an avid sports and jazz fan and he loved dogs. He inherited his father’s gift for repairing machinery and electronics. In the prime of his life he accepted Christ and attended church regularly Ralph leaves to cherish his memory two children, Deondre Lamont Jernagin of Columbia, Tennessee and Andrea LaSha (Quentin) Pye of Nashville, Tennessee; four grandchildren: Devonte and Nastaja Jernagin and Quentin Jr. and Demario Pye; two brothers, L.C. Smith Jr. (Detroit) and Gregory (Marikit) Smith (Gaithersburg, Maryland); three sisters, Veta Smith Tucker (Grand Rapids, MI), Vivian Smith Cantrell (Stanley) (Bloomfield Hills) and Sonja Smith (Drew) (Dearborn Heights, MI); two stepbrothers, Christopher and Dezrick Smith, one stepsister, Sherlonda Stevens and one stepdaughter, Jasmine Jernagin all of Pontiac. Ralph’s greatest passion was his love for his children and grandchildren. We will never forget his cheerful heart and winning smile. Ralph will be missed by a host of nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews and cousins; his lifelong friends, Derrick Thompson and Eugene Mason, special brother-in-law, Kim White, and special friend Pat Haynie. Mr. Smith was preceded in death by his parents, Ruth and L. C. Smith, Sr. and two sisters, Jo Ruth Tarpley and Karen Faye White, preceded him in death.

Ralph Lamont Smith

March 19, 1958 - November 17, 2013