John Arthur Smelley, Jr. 65, of Muscle Shoals passed away Tuesday November 8, 2016. Visitation will be 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. Saturday Nov. 12, 2016 at Morrison Funeral Home, Tuscumbia, AL. The funeral service will be 3:00 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, 2016 at the funeral home chapel. Burial will follow at Colbert Memorial Gardens. Steve Flippo will officiate.
John was a born in Montgomery, AL and grew up in Sheffield, AL; He moved to Chicago, IL in 1973 and began his career with the railroad, first Burlington Northern Railroad then Consolidated Railroad (Conrail). He retired from N.S.R.R. as a Senior General Car Foreman after 37 years; this included time with B.N.R.R. in Chicago and Consolidated Conrail Railroad in Toledo, Ohio. He had a great career with the railroad which included service in many northeast cities including Baltimore, Philadelphia, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army.
Mr. Smelley was preceded in death by his father John Arthur Smelley, Sr.; mother Betty E. Smelley; sister Kathy Willis; and brother Danny Smelley
Survivors are his wife Kaye McCorkle Smelley of Muscle Shoals, AL; daughter Tammy Wynn (Jeff) of Muscle Shoals, AL; beloved grandchildren Zach Wynn and Zoe Wynn both of Muscle Shoals, AL. brothers Gene Smelley (Carolyn) of Florence, AL and Mike Smelley of Muscle Shoals, AL; sister Patty Everett (Carlton) of Huntsville, AL; uncles William Smelley and Jay Gallaher both of Talledega, AL and Thomas Pitts (Juanita) of Montgomery, IL brothers-in-law Joe McCorkle (Marie), of Tuscumbia, AL, Steve McCorkle, of Chelsea, AL and Dalton McCorkle (Renee) of Muscle Shoals, AL; sister-in-law Phyllis Sharp (Dick) of Muscle Shoals, AL; and several nieces and nephews.
Pallbearers will be James Davenport, Chris McCorkle, Kevin Dobbs, Miles Willis, Grayson Everett, and John-Dalton McCorkle.
The family would like to thank Dr. Joshua Vasic, Dr. Lynn Ridgeway, Northwest Alabama Cancer Center: Dr. Patel, Dr. Daughtery, and Dr. Hagler, the staff of Amedysis Hospice, especially Abby and Holly; The Bethesda Cancer Center: Dr. Stanley Clarke and staff.
