Reginald Tyrone Smith

Reginald Tyrone Smith's Reflections

On July 29, 2022, at the conclusion of various family members singing, "I Need You to Survive," Reginald (Reggie) Tyrone Smith peacefully took his last breath. Reggie, born on February 23, 1952, in Kansas City, Kansas, is the first born of Clinton and Mary Ann (Davis) Smith. Reggie was a born leader and truly lived up to the moniker "TrailBlazer." Never the shy one, Reggie excelled in highschool and actively participated in Bishop Ward High School's extracurricular activities of which drama and dance were his favorites. However, his absolute first love was his job as an offensive lineman on Ward's football team. As a freshman, Reggie started for the Varsity team, lettering all four years.

After graduating in 1971, he received and accepted a full ride football scholarship at Culver Stockton College in Canton, Missouri, excelling and starting once again on the Varsity squad his freshman year. Reggie would be the first generation of the family to attend college and he took advantage of the athletic scholarship for two years before leaving Culver Stockton to attend Pittsburg State University, where he earned his Bacholors of Science in Physical Therapy.

In 1982, Reggie packed up and moved from KCK to Houston, TX to continue his life's work as a physical therapist, working in private and public medical facilities and home Healthcare. He found his dream job with the R.O. P. E. S (Reality, Oriented, Personal, Experience, Services) therapy program that combined his physical therapy training with team-oriented cooperation, group problem solving, trust, leadership skills, understanding of self and others, and development of self-esteem. This youth therapy program was usually court ordered as an alternative to juvenile detention for first time juvenile offenders. After almost forty years in Houston, Reggie returned to KCK in April of 2021, to be closer to family.

Reggie was a party man and especially enjoyed partying with family and friends. A visit home involved serious games of bid whist with his mama as his partner. Additionally, he was quite the adventurer, traveling throughout the lower forty-eight states as well as Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Venezuela, and Scotland. New Orleans Mardi Gras was his absolute favorite getaway.

Reggie was predeceased by his parents, Clinton Smith Sr. and Admiral and Mary Ann Flunder.

He is survived by his siblings and their spouses: Clinton Eugene Smith Jr., Castina Elizabeth Cooper, Kim Yvette and Janet R. Macpherson (Fi), Jess Verlyn Smith, Teia Bennett Smith, Thalia Marie and Mark Cherry, Vernon Flunder, and Admiral Flunder, Jr.; Maternal aunts and spouses: Beulah Marie Gaskin, Ruby Dale Smith, Barbara Ann Bailey, Gretta Jo and Cordell Kelsey, and Linda Katherine Bailey; Nieces and Nephews: Adrian Tyronne Smith, Antonette Deshon and Dwayne Collins, Tiwana Charisse and Greg Allen, Kyla Marie Cherry and Malik Mustafa Cherry; Reggie was also blessed with a host of cousins, great nephews, great nieces, and many lifelong friends, known by the family as the "Houston Brothers" and "Houston family."

In lieu of flowers or cards, the family encourages your memorial gifts to be made in honor of Reggie Smith by mail, phone or online, to the KCKCC Foundation. When giving by mail or online, please indicate in the memo or comments that your gift is for the Mary Ann Flunder Scholarship in honor of Reggie Smith.

Attn: KCKCC Foundation

7250 State Avenue - Room 3500

Kansas City, KS 66112

Phone: 913-288-7584  

Online: https://www.kckcc.edu/foundation/giving/online-giving.html

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