LeRoy Frank Smith, 83

Funeral services for LeRoy Frank Smith, 83, of Gainesville,  will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 6, 2026, in the Clinkingbeard Funeral Home chapel in Gainesville.

He died May 29 at Gainesville Healthcare Center. He was born Sept. 18, 1942, in San Mateo, California, to Josephine Smith and Gerald Smith. 

LeRoy served in the Army as a young man and traveled around Europe playing basketball for the Army. He and his wife Vicki moved to Ava in 2008. They both enjoyed motorcycle riding, antiquing, gardening and traveling around the world together. He loved all things in nature: backpacking, kayaking, running marathons, riding his bike and gold panning. He especially loved music and playing games with his family, all hours of the night.

LeRoy truly lived and had an amazing life filled with his beloved family and friends and he will be truly missed.

LeRoy is survived by his twin sister, Geraldine (Leonard) McCaskill of Ava; daughter, Misty Mello of Pontiac; Leanne Finney of Colfax, California and Edward Merritt of Sacramento, California; as well as many grandkids and great-grandchildren; and nieces and nephews.

Arrangements are under the direction of Clinkingbeard Funeral Home, Gainesville.