Smith Family Funeral Homes

Clifford Smith founded North Little Rock Funeral Home in 1955. Despite the fact that Clifford had no funeral home experience, he, his wife, Frances, and their two young children, Anne and John, embarked on this new adventure and opened the doors of North Little Rock Funeral Home on February 14, 1955.

With the success of his funeral home, Clifford looked for ways to grow his business and founded a second company, American Home Life Insurance, in 1962. As Anne and John grew up, they learned about the two companies they would one day lead.

The Second Generation: Anne and John

In 1966, Clifford’s son, John, took over as president of the funeral home. And, shortly thereafter, in 1969, Clifford’s daughter, Anne, became president of the insurance company.

In 1971, John’s wife, Kay, joined him in the family business. Together, they grew the funeral home, helping it to become one of the largest and most respected funeral homes in Arkansas.

In 1974, Anne became a Chartered Life Underwriter^® (CLU^®). She was the second woman in Arkansas to achieve this designation. For four decades, Anne ran the insurance company, working alongside her brother to help individuals with pre-planning expenses. This partnership shaped the success, evolution, and legacy of Smith Family Funeral Homes.

Third Generation: Jeff Smith’s Story

In 2006, John’s oldest son, Jeff, expressed interest in joining the firm; however, his father encouraged him to go to college and gain experience elsewhere. Jeff complied and returned to the funeral home at the age of 32 to serve as a funeral director.

In 2010, Jeff and his wife, Leslie, purchased Smith Family Funeral Homes from his parents and, with their guidance, the funeral group tripled in size and growth, expanding to eight locations and serving more families in Central Arkansas than any other funeral home.

Smith Family Funeral Homes has also been named among the top one percent of funeral homes for excellence in customer service for eight consecutive years and is a proud member of the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), Veterans Funeral Care™, and Selected Independent Funeral Homes^®.