Murrell Prentes "M.P." Smith, Sr., 83, of Orange, died Monday, July 6, 2009, at Methodist Hospital in Houston.

Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m., Thursday, July 9, 2009, at Claybar Funeral Home Chapel in Orange. Officiating will be Reverend Gary Wheeler of First United Pentecostal Church of Orange. Burial will follow at Orange Forest Lawn Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, July 8, 2009, at the funeral home.

M.P. was born on March 15, 1926, in DeQuincy, Louisiana. He was the son of John B. and Laura Dickens Smith. He worked as an electrician for Dupont and served in the United States Navy during World War II. M.P. was a member of First United Pentecostal Church in Orange. He also helped coach the first Little League All Star baseball team in Orange and was an avid golfer.

He was preceded in death by his son, Murrell Prentes "Scooter" Smith, Jr.; and his parents.

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife, Nelda Sue Smith of Orange; daughter, Rebecca Lynn Galey and her husband John of Houston; son, Mickey Phillip Smith and his wife Leslie of Orange; daughter-in-law, Cynthia Smith of Orange; grandchildren, Logan Duncan Smith, Kelly Wayne Smith, Darrin Joseph Smith, Phillip Earl Jolly, James Ellis Jolly, and Stephen Prentes Jolly; great-grandchildren, Madyson Jolly, Alyssa Jolly, and Jordyn Smith; and sister, Ruth Craft of DeQuincy, Louisiana.

Serving as pallbearers will be J.C. "Juggy" Grove, Logan Duncan Smith, Kelly Wayne Smith, Darrin Joseph Smith, Phillip Earl Jolly, James Ellis Jolly and Stephen Prentes Jolly. Honorary pallbearers will be John "Pete" Powell, and D.T. "Shep" Shepherd.