Willie Cephus Smith was born on March 27, 1941, to the late Cephus and Annie Bell Smith in West Greene, Alabama. Willie accepted Christ at an early age and attended Pleasant Valley Missionary Baptist Church in West Greene, Alabama.
Willie attended Mount Hebron Elementary and Greene County High School in Alabama. After graduating from high school, Willie relocated to Chicago, Illinois where he began his career with Illinois Bell Telephone Company. In 1969 Willie relocated to Cleveland, Ohio and continued his career with Ohio Bell Telephone Company, AT&T and Lucent Technology as a professional electrician. After retirement from the telephone company, Willie went into business for himself doing heating, plumbing and air conditioning. He took many courses to stay abreast of changes in the industry and received and HVAC certification. He took pride in the work he did and made sure that everything was perfect and in working order.
Willie had a kind heart and gentle spirit. He was always willing to help anyone in their time of need. He loved his entire family and enjoyed traveling and spending time with his siblings when his health allowed it. He was the heart of family gatherings and enjoyed cooking for family and friends. His specialty was frying fish and barbecuing. He enjoyed getting together with the guys (Richard Wynn, Tim Williams, Kenny Phillips, and Andre Burse) talking, watching sports (football and basketball) and enjoying a good meal.
On October 19, 2022, Willie made his transition from this earthly life to eternity while at Cleveland Clinic Hospital. Willie was preceded in death by his parents Cephus and Annie Bell Smith, and two brothers: Willie James and John Harvest.
Willie leaves to cherish his loving memories, his wife Bernice Smith (Cleveland, OH), daughters Darleathie Smith (Cleveland, OH), Trunita Plummer (Waldorf, MD), sons Fernando Smith (Cleveland, OH) and Kipley Speights (Huntsville, AL); four grandchildren – Shyonte Johnson, Daisjonai Smith, Reginald Washington II, and Tatiana Plummer; nine siblings – Geraldine Johnson (West Greene, AL), Garaldine (Otis) Parham (San Antonio, TX), Richard (Annette) Smith (Southfield, MI), Lloyd (Kaye) Smith (South Holland, IL), Eloise (William) Grays (Fort Walton Beach, FL), Rosie (Herschel) Clemmons (Lathrup Village, MI), Ola (Alex) Pugh (Livonia, MI), Maureen Lloyd (West Greene, AL) and Jeffrey (Vicky) Dunning (Detroit, MI); two aunts – Lillian Brooks (Lorain, OH) and Mary Nixon (Cleveland, OH). Willie also leaves behind a host of nephews, nieces, cousins and many friends and colleagues. Special cousin Michael Hughes and nephew Reginald Smith who always reached out and checked on him, and LaToya Greer a special friend of the family.