Smith, Bernard Mason
Bernard Mason Smith passed away peacefully at his home in the Giles County community of Glen Lyn, VA, on Thursday, February 1, 2024. Bernie was born August 18, 1934 in Willowton, Mercer County, WV, the son of the late Clyde Washington and Sadie Davis Smith, the youngest of seven Smith children.
His parents and five siblings preceded Bernie in death, including Lora, Clyde, Bill, Francis and Tommy.
He is survived by his loving wife of 50 years, Jennifer Snyder Smith; his sister, Gypsy Clyburn; his son, Dr. Terry Smith; his granddaughter, Kennedy Smith; many nieces and nephews; his Snyder in-laws; and a host of lifelong friends and business associates.
Bernie grew up as a youngster in Glen Lyn and had fond memories of life ‘up on the mountain’ followed by his teen years in Glen Lyn, Kellysville and Princeton, WV areas.
Bernie spent his working career in many interesting areas including power plant labor (at Glen Lyn), auto mechanic, gas station owner (in Glen Lyn), Virginia State Trooper (in Amherst Co., VA), union boilermaker, welder and steel erector and automobile salesman. Bernie was also an entrepreneur in the glen Lyn area on the Rt. 460 corridor, including ownership of the KAYO gas station, the local billboard, and several rental enterprises on his Glen Lyn real estate adjacent to Rt. 460. He was Y2000 member of Glen Lyn town council.
Bernie enjoyed the outdoors, especially hunting bear, turkey and other game in Virginia and lengthy hikes through the Glen Lyn area.
He also enjoyed and fondly remembered the many people he met during his life and travels. He was known as a man of many stories who enjoyed retelling his adventures if there was an audience. Bernie and his wife, Jenny, especially enjoyed their many years together traveling the USA in the boilermaker trades while living the full-time RV lifestyle.
For his retirement years, Bernie chose to return to Glen Lyn where he could enjoy the fresh mountain air, the beautiful view from his front porch, his many neighbors and local friends, and the many memories of his boyhood in Glen Lyn ‘up on the mountain.’ His most cherished memory of Glen Lyn was of his mother, Sadie, and her total devotion to her seven children who she struggled to raise alone in Glen Lyn, ‘up on the mountain.’
Bernie will sadly be missed by his family and his many friends and business associates.
Per his wishes, he has been cremated. A memorial service is planned for Saturday, February 10, 2024 at 2:00 P.M. at A. Vest & Sons Funeral Home Chapel, White Gate, with Jimmie Vest and Virginia State Police Chaplain Joe Naylor officiating. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 1:00 P.M. until service time, 2:00 P.M. He will be laid to rest privately at the Robertson – Davis Cemetery on a later date.
The Smith family are in the care of A. Vest & Sons Funeral Home, White Gate, avestandsons.com, (540) 921-2985.
