Heath C. Smith

Heath C. Smith at the age of 39 passed away after a long battle of cancer on August 15, 2024 at his home in Caney, Kansas with family and best friend by his side. 

On March 11, 1985 Heath was born in Coffeyville, Kansas to the late Ralph A. Smith and Mary A. (Koehlhoeffer) Smith. He grew up in Coffeyville where he attended USD 445 and graduated from Field Kindley Memorial High School in 2003. While in high school he took several vo-tech classes where he was certified in Auto Body Repair. It was in the Auto Body Repair class that he met instructor John Young. John took Heath under his wing and became a lifelong friendship and valued mentor to Heath. 

Heath had a diverse working career, having worked in several places. He was so good in the auto body class that upon his completion of the class he was hired to become an instructor working long side his mentor and friend John at Coffeyville Community College Technical Campus. He also worked for O’Reilly’s Auto Parts, this is where his best friend Dane’s twin sister, Dawn happened in the store one day and she caught his eye, as he did hers. Dawn thought to herself one day I’m going to marry that guy, and she did just that in 2010 of that union four children were born. In 2013 wanting to better himself and have better opportunities for his family he returned to CCC Technical Campus to pursue becoming certified as Precision Machinist. Heath has been employed at Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline as an operator up to his passing. 

Heath was a true outdoor person who enjoyed fishing from the bank, never wishing to take a dip in the water because swimming wasn’t his thing! Though he didn’t fully use either of the training in employment opportunities it did allow him to use his skills in restoring old cars and building his Mo-Kan Race car that he so enjoyed racing!! In addition to building Mo-Kan cars he enjoyed building model cars as a way to unwind. He was the master at starting a project with every intention of completion, let’s just say there could be a few still to be done. He was a magnet of fireworks, they truly lit up his life in a very literal way. Heath was much better at starting a fire than ever putting it out. He was quite a jokester and used humor to deal with all the hard things in life, he was an onery kid at heart. 

Heath loved his children with every fiber of his being, he enjoyed teaching them things and sometimes even things that might have been better left untaught. He wasted no time in doing his best to make memories with his kids, his nieces, nephews and Veronica's kids Emma and Jaxson. 

Heath leaves behind his best friend, Dawn Smith of the home, three children Raquel, Rebel and Rose Smith, mother Mary Smith, brother David Smith, sister Samantha Smith, best friend and brother-in-law Dane Fuller (Lauren), brother-in-law Shane Fuller (Julie) sister-in-law Chelsey Knisley (Brian), treasured family friend Veronica Clark, numerous nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. Heath was preceded in death by his son, Wyatt Cody Smith, and his father Ralph Smith. 

Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 6-8pm the family will received friends at Ford-Wulf-Bruns Chapel, 2405 Woodland Ave., in Coffeyville. Funeral services Celebrating His Life will be held on Friday, August 23, 2024 at 10am at Tyro Christian Church with Pastor Luke Letsinger of Coffeyville First Nazarene officiating. Heath will be laid to rest next to his son Wyatt Cody in Fairview Cemetery in Coffeyville following services. The family has established an education fund for the children at Community National Bank, if you wish to contribute in his memory please make payable to the Heath Smith Children’s Education Fund, contributions may be left in care of the chapel. To leave message of condolence, share a memory or view services visit https://www.fordwulfbrunschapel.com/obituaries/heath-smith.