[CLH]

I had to grim task of seeing one of my closest friends and mentors buried today. My buddy Brent was killed last weekend in a motorcycle wreck. Brent worked Division 1 Men's games in several different conferences as well as being one of the top guys in my high school chapter. I had the fortune or working my first high school regional with him a few years back.

We have started a scholarship fund in his memory. If anyone would like to contribute you can send donations to.

Brent Smith Scholarship Fund
870 Lake Terrace Drive
Dallas, Texas 75218

Below is a newspaper article covering the accident.

Red Oak man dies in crash

By JOANN LIVINGSTON
Daily Light Managing Editor

Published: Wednesday, November 12, 2008 1:24 PM CST

A 35-year-old Red Oak man died Sunday from injuries he received in a motorcycle-motor vehicle accident late Saturday.

Brent Lloyd Smith passed away at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas at 3:40 p.m. Sunday, according to the accident report.

A graduate of Joshua (Texas) High School, where he played basketball and football, Smith attended Cisco Junior College on an athletic scholarship before transferring to the University of North Texas. After graduating with a bachelor’s of science degree in finance, Smith became a highly successful salesman and was employed with an Arlington-based company at the time of his death, relatives said.

He also was a Division I basketball referee and refereed practices for the Dallas Mavericks.

“He really enjoyed that,” said his aunt, Barbara Nickols of Brownwood, formerly of Waxahachie. “He traveled a lot and did a lot of games.”

“He was always the center of attention. He was outgoing and gregarious. That was Brent,” said his cousin, Eric Nickols.

His relatives said Smith had moved to Red Oak about eight years ago. His survivors include his wife, Shelley; son, Blayne, 7; stepdaughter, Maisye, 12, all of Red Oak; parents, Sharon Smith of Joshua, Texas, and (ret.) Lt. Col. Gary Smith of Kansas; sister, Brook Smith of Godley, Texas; and stepbrother, Justin Smith of Kansas.

“Brent had a personality that appealed to everybody. He could talk to anybody,” Barbara Nickols said. “He always treated you with such dignity. It didn’t matter who you were.”

The accident occurred at 5:50 p.m. Saturday in the 2500 block of N. U.S. Highway 77, where it intersects with the 100 block of Grove Creek in Waxahachie.

According to the report, Smith was riding a 2009 Yamaha V Star motorcycle and was traveling northbound in the right hand lane of Highway 77.

Patricia S. Thomas, 74, of Waxahachie was driving a 2000 Ford Crown Victoria and traveling southbound in the turn lane of Highway 77 when she attempted to make a left hand turn onto Grove Creek, according to the report, which indicates the Ford failed to yield the right of way to the motorcycle.

Smith, who was not wearing a helmet, was ejected from his motorcycle and suffered incapacitating injuries, according to the report. He was transported by Air Evac from the scene to Parkland.

No injuries were reported by Thomas, according to the report.

The funeral will be Thursday at Calvary Baptist Church in Cleburne, with arrangement by Crosier-Pearson Cleburne Funeral Home in Cleburne