BENTLEY C. SMITH

Wasilla resident Bentley Cookson Smith, 42, died of a stroke July 17, 2004, at Valley Hospital in Palmer.

Visitation for Mr. Smith was scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 22, at Wasilla Assembly of God Church, with Pastor Mark Campbell officiating. A memorial service was to immediately follow at 7 p.m. Graveside services were to take place at Wasilla Aurora Cemetery on Friday, July 23 at 11 a.m.

Mr. Smith was born July 21, 1961, in Beaumont, Texas, where he lived until moving to Petersburg in 1970. He lived in Petersburg and Juneau from 1970 to 1974, moved to Anchorage in 1974 and lived there until 1984. He has made Wasilla his home for the last 20 years.

Mr. Smith worked in his own construction business. He loved the martial arts and was posthumously awarded his fourth-degree Dan black belt in tae kwon do by Senior Master David Keller, bringing him to the master level. He belonged to the Gospel Outreach Church on the Palmer-Wasilla Highway, where he was also a worship leader of the church.

His family said of him, "Ben was much loved. He had a heart for the Lord, and worshipping Him and teaching tae kwon do were two of his greatest loves. He had such a huge heart and wonderful personality that everyone he met wanted to be with him. The children he taught tae kwon do will be forever touched by him."

He is survived by his wife, Melinda Smith, and his dog, MacArthur, both of Wasilla; father, Gerald Smith and his wife, Collie, of Crosby, Texas; brother, Fred Smith and his wife, Tannya; nephews, Zachary and Anthony, and a niece, Leah, all of Grand Prairie, Texas; two grandmothers, N.C. Smith and Ola Parrish of Texas; sister-in-law, Anne Schwartz and her husband, Alex, and a nephew, Joseph, all of Kenai; mother-in-law, Audrey Beyer of Wasilla, and father-in-law, Joseph M. Sime and his wife, Nellie, of Lake Havasu City, Ariz.

Mr. Smith is preceded in death by his mother, Flonita Smith.

The family is accepting memorial donations in Mr. Smith's honor. These may be sent to the Ben C. Smith Memorial Fund; 4800 E. Palmer-Wasilla Hwy., Wasilla, AK 99654.

Arrangements were made by Valley Funeral Home & Crematory in Wasilla.