Services for Special Agent Jerrel Rex Smith, Jr., 47, who diedWednesday, June 9, 2010, in Independence, Ky., will be at 11 a.m.on Wednesday June 16, 2010, at Laird Funeral Home Union StreetChapel with the Rev. Jimmy Harper officiating. Burial will be inthe Natchez National Cemetery under the direction of Laird FuneralHome. Visitation will be held from 9:30 a.m. until the time ofservices.

Jerrel “Rex” Smith Jr. was born in Natchez, on Jan. 26, 1963, theson of Sandra Beth Harper Smith of Natchez, and Jerrel Rex SmithSr. of Brookhaven.

Smith attended elementary and high school in Paris, Tenn.,graduating from Henry County High School in 1981. During his schoolyears he excelled in many sports, especially football. Aftergraduating from high school, he enlisted in the United StatesMarine Corps, serving in both stateside assignments and severaloverseas assignments, including Japan, Korea and Denmark. Heattained the rank of Lance Corporal during his time in the serviceand was honorably discharged in 1986 at this military rank.

After his military service he attended Copiah-Lincoln CommunityCollege in Wesson and Northwestern Louisiana University in Monroe,La., where he graduated in December 1992, with a bachelor’s degreein Criminal Justice and a minor in Sociology. Rex worked for ashort period with the Bastrop Police Force before being accepted in1998 to work with the United States Department of Justice, DrugEnforcement Agency. He was assigned to work as a Special Agent inthe Cincinnati Ohio Field Office after graduating from the DEAAcademy in Quantico, Va., in January 1999. He worked in theCincinnati Field Office until his untimely passing last week at hishome. Rex was an extremely patriotic person believing in hiscountry and its Constitution.

He is preceded in death by his maternal grandfather, Arthur Harperand his paternal grandparents, J.D. and Lura Smith.

He is survived by his parents; his siblings, sister, Melanie Longand husband, Dr. Jeffery Long, of Manhattan, Kan; and his brother,Arthur Smith and wife, Carrie of Paris, Tenn.; two nieces, MadisonLong and Alyson Smith; two nephews, Matthew Long and Colin Smith;his maternal grandmother, Loyce Harper of Vidalia, La., and severaluncles, aunts and cousins.

Pallbearers are the Marine Corps Honor Guard.

Honorary pallbearers are DEA Special Agent co-workers of theCincinnati Field Office in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.lairdfh.com.