Ronald “Ronnie” Kent Smith
Ronald (Ronnie) K. Smith, 60, of Columbia, Missouri, passed away Friday, September 27, 2024 at his home after a short battle with cancer.
Funeral services for Ronnie will be held on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. at New Harmony Christian Church in Curryville, Missouri with Pastor Glenn Forman officiating. Burial will be in the New Harmony Cemetery. Visitation will be Tuesday, October 1st, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Bibb-Veach Funeral Homes and Crematory in Bowling Green, Missouri.
Ronnie was born August 8, 1964, in Louisiana, Missouri to Byron Lavell and Barbara Lee McClellan Smith. He was united in marriage to Dena Marie Birmingham on January 13, 2002, in Maui, Hawaii.
Surviving along with his wife are his mother, Barbara Darnell of Curryville, Missouri; daughter, Kelly (Neil) Valli of Troy, Missouri; daughter, Amanda Faerber of Troy, Missouri; son, Brandon Birmingham of Troy, Missouri; grandchildren: Trinity Valli, Shaelyn Valli, Kyla Valli, Kendyl Valli, Brianna (Mike) Evans, Joshua Faerber, and Ayden Birmingham; great-grandchildren, Hazel, Kaysen, and Eden; brothers, Mike (Leann) Smith of New Hartford and Steve (Gina) Smith of Le Mars, Iowa; sister-in-law, Marsha Smith of Curryville; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
Ronnie is preceded in death by his father, Byron Smith; and brother, Carl Smith.
Ronnie grew up in Curryville, Missouri and was a member of New Harmony Christian Church where he was baptized on April 18, 1976. He was a 1982 graduate of Bowling Green High School, where he participated in FFA and 4-H, and showed horses at the Tri-County Saddle Club. He attended Hannibal-LaGrange College and graduated in May 1985 with an Associates of Arts degree. Ronnie followed his father’s footsteps of serving our country and enlisted in the Navy in April 1987 and served through April 1991. Ronnie served in the first Gulf War aboard USS Leyte Gulf. Ron became an over-the-road truck driver and has spent his last 27 years working for Callaway Carriers in Kingdom City, Missouri. Ronnie enjoyed traveling and camping with friends and family. His brother, Steve, introduced him to the game of golf (which he always called “cow pasture pool”) and he played every chance he got. This new hobby led to he and Dena moving from Silex to Columbia in 2021 where he enjoyed golf right outside the back door. Ronnie was the life of any party and loved to get everyone to dance. He also played a mean game of horseshoes and dominated a volleyball game. He loved his Saturday morning breakfasts and his favorite was Big Mama’s Café in Columbia, Missouri.
Throughout Ronnie’s illness, he was reminded of all the truly loving friends and family he was blessed to have known. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him.
Pallbearers will be Mike Smith, Steve Smith, Tim Brown, CT Hansen, Mike Constable, and Brandon Birmingham. Honorary pallbearer will be Troy Smith.
Memorials may be made to New Harmony Christian Church or St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.
