Jerry Smeathers, 88, of Owensboro, passed away peacefully in his sleep Monday, April 8, 2024, at Baptist Hospital in Madisonville after a lengthy illness. He was a son to Albert Newton and Mary Imogene Mattingly Smeathers and brother of Albert Newton Smeathers Jr., all of whom preceded him in death. His wife of 67 years, Emma Jane Duke Smeathers died September 2022. He and his wife Emma Jane were the parents of Bryan K. Smeathers, Kevin L. Smeathers (1960 – 2021) and Jeri Lynne Smeathers. Jerry was born and raised in the Yelvington community of northeastern Daviess County, at the home of his grandparents, Harmon Fletcher and Sarah Elizabeth Graves Smeathers who also proceeded him in death.
Upon graduating Owensboro’s Technical High School in 1953, he worked as a draftsman and later as Manager of Thompson Home Improvement prior to joining Modern Welding Company in 1957 where he went through the ranks to become VP/General Manager of their plant number 3 at Madisonville, Kentucky until 1974 when he joined Owensboro Iron Works, Inc., as Executive Vice President where he remained until 1985 when he founded Smeathers Steel, Inc., which merged with Titan Fabrication, Inc., in the late 1990’s. After a brief retirement, Jerry joined the Weyerhaeuser Corporation (later Domtar Paper Co., LLC) as a construction and design consultant for 24 years until his final retirement.
He was a member of the Masonic Lodge and Rizpah Temple Shriners in Madisonville. He was of the Baptist faith. Jerry enjoyed time with his family, fishing, boating, NASCAR, basketball and baseball and his dogs.
He is survived by his eldest son and caregiver in his final years after the death of his wife his wife Emma Jane, Bryan K. Smeathers of Owensboro and a daughter Jeri Lynne Smeathers Kuck (Chris) of Cincinnati, Ohio and daughter-in-law Patricia A. Faith Smeathers (widow of Kevin) of Owensboro.
Funeral services will be in the care of the James H. Davis Funeral Home and will be private. A private graveside service is planned with burial at Rosehill Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, kindly send donations to the Daviess County Animal Care and Shelter, 2620 KY-81, Owensboro, KY 42301.