In 1904 Clyde E. Smith bought Haffnieistirs Apothecary and changed the name to Smith Drug Store. It was in a two story framed building, and above the pharmacy was a man (name unknown) who bought casket shells and upholstered the interior of them to sell to persons who had a death in the family.

Sometime shortly after 1904 Mr. Smith bought all the man's stock. He and his son, Lawrence Smith, would go upstairs after closing the pharmacy for the night, do the upholstering and then sell the caskets to the bereaved families. There was apparently very little “funeral directing” at that time.

They eventually bought a very tall and ornate studebaker hearse and became more involved in helping the families of the deceased. Then, when the “Peavine Railroad” closed, the Smiths bought the old depot building and converted it into a true “funeral home” where they could better display the caskets and care for the families.

Clyde Smith died in 1948 or 1949 and Lawrence began operating both businesses. In the 195O's he bought the Roy Godwin house and property where the funeral home now stands. In the mid 60's, a remodeling and expansion of the building was done but, on March 21, 1972, the original building was burned, and everything was lost except one ambulance.

Lawrence quickly set up temporary quarters in the Grainger County News building half a block away and began construction on new larger and better building.

After many years of hard work and dedication to the people of Grainger county, Lawrence decided it was time to lesson some of his responsibilities and sold the business.