Obituary of Loyd Terrell Smith, Jr.

Loyd Terrell Smith, Jr., 90 of Bedford, Virginia passed away on Saturday, March 25^th, 2023.

Terrell was born in Lynchburg, Virginia and grew up in the Boonsboro area. His parents were Loyd Terrell Smith and Augusta Hobbs Smith. As a boy, Terrell had an adventuresome spirit. He and his childhood friends would routinely camp along the James River. At the time they would ride their bicycles many miles along this area and create a camp for the night. This led to many great stories and times with these very special friends. As Terrell graduated from E.C. Glass High School, he made the decision to attend the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington Virginia. Terrell would later in life state to all “I attended the Virginia Military Institute” with great pride. He loved every minute that he was at VMI, even his Freshman year as a “Rat”. He created a bond with his fellow VMI Cadets that lasted through his recent 67^th Class Reunion. He loved his time at VMI and would recently travel to visit the Institute multiple times during the week. He would re live his adventures on the James River as a boy and his very special time at VMI.

In 1958, It was arranged by fellow church members to go on a blind date with a lady that just recently moved to the Lynchburg area with her family, Louise Inman Coffey. Terrell knew from the first time he met Louise that she was the love of his life. They were married in 1958 and their adventure together begin. After their wedding, Terrell and Louise moved to Tuscaloosa, Alabama as he accepted a Sales Representative position with Piedmont Label Company in Bedford, Virginia. Piedmont Label Company was a family-owned business and many of the employees were fellow VMI graduates. They had two children, Loyd Terrell Smith III and David Scott Smith. Family was everything to Terrell. Terrell and Louise’s adventure in Tuscaloosa centered around the University of Alabama, Tennis and Golf. Terrell and Louise made many friends in Tuscaloosa at the time that today seem to be unbelievable. C.M. Newton, Paul “Bear” Bryant, Mal Moore, Joe Namath and many of the faculty and coaches that today are legends at the University of Alabama. Terrell traveled for over 40 years with Piedmont Label from New Orleans to New York City, if he could sell a label to a company, he was going to close the deal. In 1976, Terrell and Louise moved to Bedford, Virginia as he was promoted as the Sales Manager for Piedmont Label. Bedford has been their home for over 47 years. Over the years they made great friends along the way. Terrell did not limit his adventures to home, he and Louise traveled to Hawaii,  all the American and British Virgin Islands and many of the Islands located in the Caribbean. In every adventure, they met new friends along the way. For Terrell and Louise it was all about the people they met along their adventure.

Later in life as traveling across many countries concluded, Terrell and Louise created new adventures in their home in Bedford. Surrounded daily by so many friends from the Bedford YMCA, the Liberty Station Restaurant, D-day Memorial, Main Street Methodist Church, and many local Bedford social and historic spots.

Terrell is preceded in death by his parents Loyd Terrell Smith and Augusta Hobbs Smith, his son David Scott Smith and special brother-in-law the Reverend John Haines Coffey. Terrell is survived by his lifelong partner and wife of 64 years, Louise Coffey Smith and their son Loyd Terrell Smith III and his wife Robin Smith.  In addition, his three grandchildren, Kayla Marie Smith (Blake King), Hannah Nicole Smith (Austin Oyler), and Loyd Terrell Smith IV (Matie Bayer). Many other family members Steve and Mary Scott Tuck, Dorothy Coffey, Henry and Betty Gregory, Evan Scott, Ron Fowler, so many friends from the Bedford YMCA, Liberty Station Restaurant, Mainstreet United Methodist Church, and D-Day memorial. The family would like to give a special thanks to Tracey Goodman. Tracey has been more than a caregiver to Terrell, she is a very special member of our family.

A special celebration of life will take place on Friday, April 14^th at the Main Street United Methodist Church in Bedford. We will begin this celebration with friends in the parlor of the church from 1:00pm to 2:00pm. We will begin a service at 2:00pm. In lieu of flowers, the family would request that contributions to the Bedford Area Family YMCA Early Learning Center be made in memory of Terrell Smith.

Arrangements by Updike Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Bedford.