ANGUILLA — The Rev. Clabe Smith Jr. died Sunday, June 28, 2009, at Sharkey-Issaquena Hospital. He was 88.

Rev. Smith was born in St. Louis, Mo. He was a retired farmer and a former supervisor for Delta Elastics. He had served in the ministry for 58 years and was a Mason, serving as worshipful master for St. John Lodge No. 2.

He was preceded in death by a daughter, Queen Ester Downs.

He is survived by five sons, Clabe Smith III, Jerry Smith, Charles Smith and Willie Smith, all of Anguilla, and Carl Smith of Greenville; seven daughters, Katherine Tankson and Susan Evans, both of Rolling Fork, Mildred Cash of Anguilla, Angela Smith of Houston, Dorothy Langford of Redlands, Calif., Ruthie Brown of Walnut, Calif., and Josephine Kennedy; 27 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at St. Paul M.B. Church with Pastor Purvis Wesley Jr. officiating. Burial will follow at Cameta Cemetery under the direction of Walker Funeral Home in Rolling Fork.