Robert Lee Smith, 22, of 1621 Forrest Avenue was killed at 12:25 a.m. Sunday and two passengers in his car were hurt in an accident on the Nason blacktop road a half mile south of State route 148.

Smith a young veteran of the U.S. Navy was a pumper for the Strickland oil Company.

His funeral will be held Wednesday at the General Baptist Church, the Rev. Tracy Dees and Rev. John Hurt will officiate and burial will follow in Wolf Creek Cemetery near Eldorado.

Military services will be conducted by the local American Legion Post. At 4:00 p.m. today the body will be removed from the Pulley Funeral Home to the family home where friends may call.At noon Wednesday the body will be taken to the church to lie in state until the funeral hour.

The young man was born June 01, 1936 at Eldorado, IL the son of Arthur Smith and Mildred Elizabeth (Reeder) Smith.

He served four years in the U.S. Navy, receiving his discharge August 19, 1958.

Surviving besides his parents are two brothers, James E. of Mt. Vernon and Ronald E. of Camp Gordon, Georgia.

Source: Mount Vernon Register News
Date: March 8, 1959
Submitted by Jim & Nancy Davis