RICHARD LEE 'RICK' SMOOT, age 60, of rural Charleston, died Tuesday, May 7, 2019, at the Barnes Hospital in St. Louis.

Born June 10, 1958, in Sikeston, MO, to the late Billy Neal Smoot and Patsy Jane Cherry Smoot, he had lived in the Gravel Ridge Community of Mississippi County his entire life where he was a member and deacon at the Gravel Ridge Baptist Church until its closing. At that time, he and his family became members of the First Baptist Church in Charleston where he served as a deacon, Sunday school Teacher and was member of the church choir.

After graduating from Charleston High School in 1976, he went to work with his father in the family farming operation. He then became employed with Delta Growers Association at the fertilizer operation in East Prairie until going to work at Gates Rubber Company, where he was employed from 1984 until 2006. In 2006, he became employed with River Bend Ag at New Madrid where he was employed at the time of his death.

Active in sports all of his life, he coached numerous programs for youth in the Charleston Little League programs, Charleston Jr. Babe Ruth and Junior Legion Ball. He was a member of the Charleston Country Club where he and his wife participated in scotch golf on Tuesday evenings and he was active in the Men's Golf Association. He was an avid bowler, fisherman and hunter.

On March 30, 1978, he married Deborah Kay Smotherman, who survives of the home.

Also surviving is one son, Jordan Ray Smoot of Jackson, MO and one brother, Walter Raymond "Butch" Smoot of Charleston.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his son, Dustin Lee Smoot and two brothers, Kevin Wayne Smoot and Bernard Neal Smoot.

Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. until the funeral hour at noon, Friday, May 10, 2019, at the First Baptist Church in Charleston. Rev. George Nite, pastor, will officiate.

Interment will follow in the Oak Grove Cemetery near Charleston under the direction of the McMikle Funeral Home.

Pallbearers will be: Josh Miller, Joe McCloskey, Darryl McCann, Donial McCann, Eddie Barnhill and Steve McClanahan.

Online condolences maybe shared at www.mcmiklefuneralhome.com.

The family requests memorials be made to:
The Charleston Nutrition Center
205 West Commercial Street
Charleston, MO 63834

Peter 3:15 King James Version (KJV)
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: