Lowell George Smith, 70, of Lillington died November 19, 2015 at his home following a courageous battle with cancer.

Born March 29, 1945 in Jellico, Tennessee, he was the son of the late John Marion and Mary Irene Stallings Smith. Upon graduating from West Carrollton High School in Ohio , he joined the U.S. Army where he completed Advanced Artillery Training and served for three years. Then, he pursued a career in Army Aviation where he qualified to fly and to instruct both helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. Following a tour of duty in Vietnam, he graduated from the Aviation Officer Advanced Course at Fort Rucker, Alabama and rose to the highest rank as Chief Warrant Officer (CW4). During his career, he served a combat tour in Vietnam, two tours in Korea, and in the Panama Canal Zone, along with various other tours in the U.S. While being stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, he met
Janice La Rue Smith, and they married on December 18, 1971 at Flat Branch Presbyterian Church of Bunnlevel, N.C. He retired following his second tour of duty in Korea and entered into a new career as a businessman. Lowell opened and operated his business, American Sign Shop, in Fayetteville, N.C. for over for thirty years.

An avid outdoorsman, he loved the mountains of Tennessee where he was born and, also, the beaches of North and South Carolina. In these places, he always made time for family and friends and spent many wonderful hours where he and his loved ones enjoyed activities such as cookouts, mountain climbing, hiking, whitewater-rafting and four-wheeling. Lowell held a lifetime affinity for all animals and in particular his pets--Champion, Spot and Halo. He was a loving and dedicated husband, father, grandfather, son and brother who will be greatly missed.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Charles Lee Smith of Tennessee.

He is survived by his wife of forty-five years, Janice Smith Smith; Sons, Christopher Lowell Smith and Kevin Scott Smith, both of Lillington; Granddaughter, Alexandria Marie Smith of Lillington. Brothers, Gerald Edward Smith of Zenia, Ohio; Joe Howard Smith and wife Jackie of West Carrollton, Ohio. Sisters, Marion Joyce Lewis of Moraine, Ohio; Barbara Frese Bass and husband Frank of West Chester, Ohio; Patricia Eloise Lowery of West Chester, Ohio. Sister-in-Law, Betty Schrader Smith of Atoka, Tennessee.

Funeral service will be conducted 11:00 AM Monday, November 23, 2015 at Flat Branch Presbyterian Church in Bunnlevel with Rev. Dr. Mike Armistead and Rev. Bertrand Pitchford officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery with full military honors.

The family will receive friends Sunday, November 22, 2015 from 2:00-4:00 PM at OQuinn-Peebles-Phillips Funeral Home in Lillington, other times at his home.

Memorial contributions may be made to Flat Branch Presbyterian Church, 130 Darroch Road, Bunnlevel, NC 28323, The Wounded Warriors, 4200 Morganton Rd. #300, Fayetteville, NC 28314 or to a favorite charity.