Howard Smith, Sr.

Captain Howard S. Smith passed away on March 11, 2023 after a brief illness. 

He was born on January 9, 1930, in the Sandy Point beach area of Westmoreland County into the loving family of John and Fannie Smith (deceased)and was the fifth child of thirteen. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by brothers: Walter, Samuel, John Pat, Marvin, Kinsey and sisters: Lena Jones and Mary Bell.

His father was a waterman and he instilled in Howard a strong work ethic, love of family and the water. At an early age, he joined Zion Baptist Church.  Howard attended Sandy Pt. School and he started working at a young age doing yard work and odd jobs. As a teen, he started working at Mundy Point Seafood, haul seine fishing and shucking oysters.

In his early twenties, he and his cousins worked as fishermen on the menhaden boats that fished from NJ to NC.  Wanting to return home, he began to work in construction.  For 20 years he divided his time between working construction and chartering fishing parties on the weekends, he even did a little farming on the side.  In the mid-70’s he took the leap to become a full-time commercial fisherman.  He loved fishing and achieved success as a major supplier to O’Bier Seafood and Bevans Oyster Co. He was a loyal member of the Virginia Twin Rivers Waterman’s Association and lifetime member of NAACP. As busy as he was, he was always there for family.
Capt. Howard continued working on the river until his late 80’s.  Even after he slowed down fishing, he could be found at the railway located in Shannon Park. He was a loyal Washington football fan.

In 1958 Howard married Myrtle Pauline Henderson, born of this marriage was Paulette Cook (Kevin) and Howard Sherwin Smith (Renee). He later married Marsha P. Smith, who preceded him in death, and has a bonus son, Robert Pitts (Janet).  

In addition to his children, Capt. Howard leaves to cherish his memory his grandchildren: Jonathan Smith, Mariah Cook, Bianca Smith, Naomi Cook, Marcus Cook, Jessica Pitts, Maylon Lamison 3rd, Vanessa Lamison, and Anna Pitts; great grandson, Maylon Lamison 4th; one brother, Moses Smith (Edith); four sisters: Lillian Kirkland, Bessie Harris (Samuel), Fannie Wilson, Romaine Strothers (Isaac Sylvester); devoted friends, Al Solomon Smith, Jim Douglas, James Puncho Smith, and Douglas Jenkins. 

He will be missed and remembered by the many lives he touched. It is now our time to Man the Ship.

Funeral Services for Howard Smith, Sr., will be held on Saturday, March 18 at 1PM in the sanctuary of Zion Baptist Church, 1274 Zion Church Road, Kinsale, Virginia.

Interment will follow in the Zion Baptist Church Cemetery.

Remains may be viewed from 11AM until service time on Saturday at Zion Baptist Church.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Howard Smith, Sr., please visit our floral store.