Jeff & Leslie Smith

President & Vice President

Jeff Smith joined the staff in June 2006 as a funeral director. In 2010 Jeff and his wife Leslie stepped into the role of leading the funeral homes. They plan to continue the legacy of the funeral home. Jeff graduated from the University of Arkansas with a Bachelor's Degree in Small Business Management and the University of Memphis with an MBA. He is proud to carry on the Smith family tradition of funeral service. He and Leslie are the proud parents of three children, Hayden, Kaylee, and Sawyer. As Vice President, Leslie adds her motherly touch to the Smith Family.

Clay Smith

General Manager of Operations, Smith Family Funeral Homes

Clay came to work at Smith North Little Rock Funeral Home in 1979 as an apprentice funeral director. He became a licensed Funeral Director in 1982 after serving his apprenticeship. He then went to Mortuary School in Dallas and was licensed as an embalmer in 1983.

He was Manager of Smith North Little Rock Funeral Home from 2005 to 2015, and is now General Manager of Operations of all Smith Family Funeral Homes.

Clay and his wife Audrey have two children, Adam and Holly, and is "PaPa" to his five grandchildren, Clayton, Harleigh, Kennedy, Beau, and Hollyn.  

Clay and his wife are members of Immanual Baptist Church in Sheridan. When not at work, Clay raises horses, long horn cows, chickens and he likes to hunt and fish. 

Vicki Quinn

Manager, Funeral Director & Embalmer

Vicki is the manager of Smith-North Little Rock Funeral Home. She is a licensed funeral director and embalmer. She joined the firm in 2011. She knew as a teenager that she wanted to be involved in the funeral Industry and considers serving grieving families to be a "ministry" that allows her to fulfill that calling. She attended Arkansas Tech and is a graduate of Commonwealth Institute, Houston, TX.

Vicki and her husband are residents of North Little Rock. When not at work, her favorite days are spent with her three children and four grandchildren.

Karen Wade

Executive Assistant & Human Resources

Craig Johnson

Manager of Westbrook Funeral Home, Funeral Director & Embalmer

Craig is a licensed funeral director and embalmer. He has been with Smith Family Funeral Homes since 2010.  He is the Manager of the Westbrook Funeral Home and the Sherwood Funeral Home. Outside of work, Craig serves on the Sherwood Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. 

Brent Hill

Funeral Director

Brent, a licensed funeral director and licensed prearrangement counselor, joined Smith Family in 2000.  Brent produces most of our Life Celebration videos and takes care of the websites and social media.

Brent and his wife Connie have six children between them; Amanda Boxley, Stephanie & Thomas Pack, Heather & Matt Johnson, Christopher Tolleson, Shannon Tolleson & Tate; Bethany Brooke Hill; eight grandkids; Mya Belle, Ally & Alex, Tyson, Dovovan, Teddy Tolleson, Lilah Maebry Pack and Thomas “Cade” Pack, one dog Ms Zoey. 

He serves on NLC Creative Production Team and runs the cammate Jib camera. On his days off, you may see Brent flying the friendly skies of Arkansas with his Phantom 3P, P4, P4Pro and Mavic 2 Pro drones.

Billy C. Byrd

Funeral Director

Billy Byrd is a licensed funeral director and has been with Smith Family since 2016.  He specializes in taking care of families during funeral and memorial services. Prior to joining Smith Family, Billy served as a pastor with the Assemblies of God churches. 

He has been married to his wife Cindy for 40 years. They have a daughter, Candace, and a son, Thad. 

In his spare time, Billy enjoys showing his English Bull dogs and he is a judge for various dog shows across the U.S. 

Daniel Barnhart

Funeral Director & Embalmer

Born in Little Rock and raised in Cabot, Daniel is a native of central Arkansas. He graduated from Cabot High School in 2005, earned his Funeral Director’s license in 2009, and graduated from the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service in December 2020. After receiving his license, he lived and worked in Greenbrier and Conway for seven years, serving the families of Faulkner County. He moved back to Cabot in 2017, where he worked for and managed a local funeral home. In November 2019, he joined Smith Family Funeral Homes. Daniel is proud to be serving the families of Little Rock, North Little Rock and the surrounding communities.

His family includes his husband, Andrew; children, Ruthie and Duncan; and fur baby Sawyer. His hobbies include attending theatre productions, helping Andrew tend to the rose garden and cooking. He is a member of St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church and serves on the Neighborhood Shepherd Ministry.

Richard McChain

Funeral Director & Embalmer

Richard, a licensed funeral director and embalmer, joined our firm in 2003.

Richards's wife Sally and he are the proud parents of seven children, three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. They are members of Center Point Church in Benton. Richard has been in the funeral industry since 1970.

Josh Bridges

Funeral Director

Josh has been with the Smith Family since 2013. 

When not at work,  Josh likes to tinker with computers, rebuilding old ones and making them useful again. 

Jenna Pride

Social Worker

Jenna is a licensed social worker.  She graduated from the Social Work program at University of Arkansas at Little Rock.  In 2009, she began working as a director in social work and case management in medical facilities.  Jenna joined the Smith Family Funeral Home in 2017, bringing her experience in assisting families facing decisions during difficult times and providing grief support.

Sharon Barnes

Bookkeeping Manager

Sharon joined the Smith Family in 2017, but has been serving North Little Rock and Central Arkansas families through church ministry since 1995. She is passionate about helping others know there is life after loss and has helped develop our grief support.  Sharon’s other passion is her family. She and her husband, North Little Rock Police Chaplain David Barnes, have three adult children who also serve their communities: Blake and Shelly Barnes – grandsons Dalton and Garrett; Eric and Amber Barnes – granddaughters Berklee and Scotlyn; Lauren and Harrison Russell.

Debbie Russell

Bookkeeper Assistant

Debbie joined the Smith Family in May 2017, following the loss of her oldest daughter, Bailey, in December 2015. Debbie and her husband Kevin have seven children between them (two in Heaven); Brandon, Bailey, Kyleigh, Kaitlynn, Kaitlyn Ann-Marie and Olivia Grace. Together they facilitate the Central Arkansas Chapter of While We’re Waiting Ministries for Bereaved Parents. She has learned God can use the absolute weakest and most unlikely for His glory. Debbie’s passion is helping families, especially those experiencing the loss of a child. She considers it a blessing to be able to serve those families.

Debbie and Kevin also started a non-profit organization in 2018, Cabot Juniors Volleyball Club, dedicated to the promotion and development of girls' volleyball in Central Arkansas. They love to spend time with their families, go camping, travel and beach-hop to beautiful destinations every summer!

Hannah Beth Cooper

Bookkeeping Assistant

Hannah Cooper joined the Smith Family in January 2021. She started as a secretary in the Benton location and then moved to the North Little Rock location to assist the bookkeeping manager with day-to-day operations of the seven funeral homes.

Hannah grew up in the heart of Little Rock and was a proud Tiger at Little Rock Central High School. She attended college at Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU) and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

She married her best friend, Kevin, and they have a beautiful baby girl, Emery Jane. Hanna’s family also has a very spoiled cat named Nova who thinks she's a lap dog. Hannah and her husband enjoy camping, hiking, and hammocking. If there is an outdoor activity to be found, you will find them there!

Emory Martin III, CFSP

Care Center & Cremation Center Manager

Emory, a licensed Embalmer & Funeral Director, joined our firm in 2011. He is the Manager of Smith Family Care Center along with our Cremation Centers in Little Rock & North Little Rock.  Emory is a CANA certified crematory operator, an honor graduate of ASU – Mountain Home with a degree in Mortuary Science, and a member of Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society. Emory received scholarships to attend ICCFA University in 2019 & 2021, and he is the 2020 recipient of the Clifford Smith Award. 

Emory has one adult daughter, Erica, and is a very proud uncle to Nicholas & Peyton. He and his spoiled dachshunds, Doxie & Frankie, live in Shannon Hills, Arkansas. Emory is a member of the Central Arkansas Perinatal Loss Coalition and serves as Board President of Nichols Cemetery Association in Marked Tree, Arkansas. When not at work, Emory serves as a Lieutenant with Northeast Saline County Fire Department and enjoys traveling and spending time with family and friends. 

Ernnie Flowers

Funeral Director & Embalmer

Ernnie is a licensed funeral director and embalmer who has been with Smith Family since 2016, when Huson Funeral Home became Smith Sherwood Funeral Home. Ernnie graduated from the University of Arkansas Community College at Hope with a funeral service degree and has also earned her embalming license. She is married to Rev. Dr. D.L. Flowers, a pastor of Faithway Baptist Church and a more than 30-year employee of the Arkansas State Police. The couple lives in Little Rock and has two daughters; Marcie, a UAPB graduate, and Kaydee, a senior at UAPB.

Dennis Rothfus

Funeral Director & Embalmer

Dennis is a licensed funeral director and embalmer who joined Smith Family in 2018.

Ashley Manning

Assistant Manager/ Care Center

Ashley is an apprentice embalmer and funeral director, and she joined the team as a part time employee in 2019. She is a recent graduate from Arkansas State University Mountain Home with a degree in Funeral Science. She and her husband Dylan enjoy tending to their vegetable garden, their chickens, and their two dogs, Aubrey and Rico. In her free time, you can find Ashley cooking, outside with her pets, or reading a good book.

Doug Douchene

Maintenance

Doug was raised in San Diego and had a career in the construction business. In April 2007, Doug and his family moved to Arkansas where he joined Home Depot for nearly 7 years. In 2014, he joined Smith Family and is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of all properties. 

Doug is married to Jackie and they have two sons, Steven and Paul. They also enjoy two grandchildren. In his spare time, Doug enjoys being outdoors and spending time with his family and friends. 

Jewel Baxter

Secretary/Receptionist

Jewel files all the insurance papers and death certificates among many other duties. She joined the staff part time in 1999 and and full time in 2002. Jewel is a mother of 2, Dominic and Crystal, and is a "Nana" to four beautiful grandchildren. 

She went to UA Pulaski Technical College and received a Medical Coder Certificate. Former careers include working for the FBI, State Police Department and she was in the Army.

When not at work, Jewel enjoys watching movies, traveling, and spending time with her grandchildren. 

Brenda Hernandez

Receptionist

Brenda has been with Smith family since 2003.  Before coming to Smith Family, Brenda worked Central Arkansas Water for 28 years. 

Brenda is the smiling face you will encounter in the front lobby of the North Little Rock site. She loves helping people, listening to their stories and offering comfort. 

Her favorite Bible verse is 1Cor 13:13. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 

William A. Smith

Funeral Assistant

Bill Smith has spent most of his career in Trust and Investment banking and working in an Investment Advisory role. Bill grew up in Little Rock, spent several years out of state working for large banks and returned in the late 90's with one of Arkansas's largest banks. Bill received his education having attended both Hendrix College and finishing at UALR. Bill is married to the former Judy Ferguson, having six children, fourteen grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Bill describes his work at Smith Family Funeral Homes as a "vocation he wishes he had found years ago."

Jodie McGinley

Apprentice Funeral Director

A graduate of Arkansas State University and University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Jodie was an educator until the unexpected loss of one of her twin boys, Eli. It was there that her career path changed and she began serving in the bereavement community of families of infant and child loss for over 10 years. Jodie's family founded the ELI Award: Excellence in Patient & Family Centered Care at the UAMS. She has the privilege of serving on the Arkansas Infant Loss Coalition, Arkansas Hospital Association Patient & Family Advisory Board, and also serves as a public speaker for ARORA (Arkansas Regional Organ Recovery Agency) and Donate Life America. In her free time, Jodie volunteers for the national nonprofit, Molly Bears, and serves as the Worship Leader for Springlake Church. 

Emily Wade

Apprentice Funeral Director

Emily Wade joined Smith Family Funeral Homes in 2020 as an apprentice funeral director. She is working toward receiving her funeral director license next year. Emily’s passion is helping serve families. She is married to Zachary and they have two sons, Sutton and Cooper, and two bunnies, Winnslow and Winnstin.

She and her family attend Life Church in Little Rock. 

Peyton Davis

Apprentice Funeral Director

Peyton joined Smith Family in May 2021 as Apprentice Funeral Director. She grew up in Cabot and attended Henderson State University and received a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality, Tourism and Event Planning. She is currently attending the University of Arkansas and working toward a Masters of Science in Operations Management. 

When Peyton is not working, you can find her watching sports, playing cornhole, competing in pageants, and doing just about anything competitive.

She is a member of the First Baptist Church in Cabot. 

Christina Caston

Apprentice Funeral Director

David Fogarty

Prearrangement Consultant

David moved to Arkansas from Texas with his wife Kathy in 2012 to be near their children and grandchildren. That is when he began his career in the funeral business after 3 decades in church ministry. When the opportunity became available for him to come to work at Smith-North Little Rock Funeral Home in February of 2015, he “jumped at the chance to work for the best funeral home in Arkansas.” He loves the fact they the employees are encouraged to love and even pray with each other and our customers. David is a licensed prearrangement consultant and has helped dozens of people with their preplanning. He enjoys the opportunity to serve people. 

Gary House

Prearrangement Consultant

Gary is a prearrangement consultant for Smith North Little Rock Funeral Home and American Home Life Insurance Company. He and his wife have three children and is grandpa to two grandchildren. Gary serves as the pastor of Ministry of Caring at McArthur in Jacksonville.

Jennifer Michaels

Prearrangement Consultant

Jennifer Michaels is a prearrangement consultant. She joined Smith Family in 2019. Prior to joining the company, she worked as a realtor and she continues to hold her real estate license today. 

Jennifer currently makes her home in the Cabot area but spent most of her life in the Sherwood community. She attended the University of Arkansas at Little Rock majoring in business and psychology.

Jennifer is married to William “Bill” Michaels, who is a Lieutenant at the Sherwood Police Department. She has two sons, Cole and Logan, and is the bonus mom to seven other children — Savannah, Renee, Austin, Bentley, Peyton, Lance and Reese.

Jennifer enjoys family lake time as well as reading, gardening and cooking. When she isn’t volunteering in the community she loves cheering on the Razorbacks.

Jeff Hulsizer

Prearrangement Consultant

Jeff is a prearrangement consultant who joined Smith family in 2019. He has been married to Sheila 35 years this June. They have a daughter named Jessica who is an RN in Cabot. She’s married to Matthew and they have three beautiful children, Savannah, Charlotte and Rhet. Their youngest daughter, Jennifer, is a first grade teacher in Benton. Jeff loves music and painting.

Eddie Hunt

Security

Eddie handles security for our night visitations.

Kathy Brown

Retired

Kathy retired in 2018 as our bookkeeper and is now the part-time front desk hostess. She started with the funeral home in 2005. Kathy and husband Elroy are members of Forest Tower Baptist Church. She is the mother of two children, Kevin (Meggan) Murphy and the late Tony Murphy.

Kathy is known as "Gran" to her grandkids.

Laymon Lawrence

Funeral Director & Embalmer

Laymon is a licensed funeral director and embalmer. He joined Smith Family in 2001 after his retirement from Roller-Owens Funeral Home. 

Joseph J. Skretkowicz

Retired Visitation Host

Joe, after retiring from the military, VA Hospital as a therapist, joined the firm in 1987. He and his late wife Regina have two children and five grandchildren. They are members at St. Anne's Catholic Church.

Susan Ross

Retired Secretary/Receptionist

Susan, who answers the phone and performs many clerical duties, joined the staff in 1990.

Jim Crabill

Maintenance Consultant

Jim Crabill has worked with Smith Family since 2020 and is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of all property and vehicles. You will always see the delivery vans and hearses in top condition due to Jim's desire for excellence. 

The Late John S. Smith & Kay Smith

Former Owners of Smith North Little Rock Funeral Home

John Stephen Smith took over as President of North Little Rock Funeral Home in 1972 when he was 23 years old.  John's father, Clifford, founded the funeral home on Valentine's Day, 1955. 

John had worked in the funeral home in some capacity since its inception when Clifford and Frances Smith moved their family into the upper level of the funeral home. 

Kay, John's wife, has worked at Smith North Little Rock Funeral Home since 1977. Kay oversees the clerical work and helps on services as needed.

In 2010, John retired and sold the funeral home to his son and daughter-in-law, Jeff and Leslie Smith. 

Bruce Hawley

Senior Embalmer, Smith Family Funeral Homes

Bruce, a licensed funeral director and our senior embalmer, joined the firm in 2001. He graduated from San Francisco College of Mortuary Science in 1976, and is a certified crematory operator.  He and his wife Lisa have four boys and he is a grandpa to four grandkids. Bruce is a member of Indian Springs Baptist Church.