A Baytown family is in mourning following the tragic death of Joseph Smith, a devoted grandfather who lost his life in a motorcycle accident on I-10 just hours after meeting his newborn granddaughter.
The unfortunate incident occurred on the night of February 9th, with Smith’s family sharing that he had spent part of his day at the hospital welcoming his new grandchild into the world. “He had gone to the hospital to see his new grandbaby. He had a two-day-old grandbaby,” recalled Laura Callaway, Smith’s sister-in-law. “His day had gone beautiful. He had a beautiful day that day, and just tragedy struck. We are all just so sad and confused on how this happened.”
Later that evening, Smith was involved in a single-vehicle motorcycle crash, and his family reports that he was the only individual affected. The loss has left his family devastated.
<p"His involvement in the community was significant," shared Jennifer Nerf, another sister-in-law. "He worked for Barbers Hill ISD in the maintenance department." Those who knew Smith describe him as a humorous and kind individual who always managed to keep people in line while bringing laughter to their lives.
Smith was also a supporter of Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) and was in the process of becoming a member. “He wanted to fight for kids that needed help in life,” Nerf noted. “He was that way with his family and with complete strangers too.”
Additionally, Smith was employed at High Voltage Ice Creamery, where he took great pleasure in making others smile. “He was more than just scooping ice cream,” Nerf stated. “He loved to see the joy, how happy ice cream made them.”
The family expresses that his absence creates an irreplaceable void. “It’s been really, really hard to sit here and know he’s gone,” Callaway said. “Trying to live life without him is going to be very difficult, but we will definitely carry on his legacy of being a good person, going out in the community and being involved.”
As the family seeks answers regarding the circumstances surrounding the crash, the Houston Police Department is currently conducting an investigation. Meanwhile, a fundraiser has been initiated to support Smith’s family during this challenging time.
