Smith, Joseph 'Joey', 22 died in the arms of his loving parents at Baptist Medical Center, Little Rock, Arkansas, Sept.28, 2020.  Joey was the youngest son of Noel and Nannette Smith. He was adored by a little sister Lucy, 10, and three older brothers Ryan, 32, Josh, 35 and Noel, Jr., 39. Joey joined his forever family with the Smiths on Sept. 7, 2007 after nine years of foster care and a failed adoption. He was born in Reno, Nevada, July 21, 1998, to a teenage mother with addiction problems.

Joey never let his rough beginning define him. He was a great and mighty warrior with a heart of David. He was a loyal member of Brookwood Baptist Church from nine years old until he graduated, with honors from Jefferson State Community College, where he was a recipient of the Claire Winters Scholarship. He followed his time at Jefferson State with studies at the University of Colorado, Front Range Campus for Nursing, Boulder, Colorado. He had recently applied to the University of South Alabama, where he planned to pursue a master's in marine biology. He was currently home with his parents on 'Angel' Drive and taking online classes thru the covid19 pandemic. He was a new and very loved, member of New Life Baptist Church, in Bryant Arkansas. Joey enjoyed playing ultimate frisbee, where he often made new friends, soccer, and music. He loved playing the drums and was an avid swimmer. His passion was science and as a high school senior, he was selected to participate in the Birmingham, Alabama, Jefferson County Science honors program ,where he, along with nine other honor students from the area, worked with the University of Alabama BIO Medical research team to grow crystals for NASA to send into orbit on the space shuttle in a search for a cure for Alzheimer's. He gave the gift of life to many as he left this world to enter his final home in Heaven.

Thru his kindness as an organ donor and contributions of his body to science, many people received the gift of life and many more will be healed. This world is a better place because of a man named "Joseph". He was a life well lived.