Billy Ray Smith: key obituary facts
Is Billy Ray Smith dead? Yes. Billy Ray Smith died on October 10, 2026, at age 82.
Cause of death: Billy Ray Smith's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Billy Ray Smith known for?
He was an American politician.
More about Billy Ray Smith
Born: 5 April 1944.
Gender: male.
Occupation: politician.
Nationality: United States.
Billy Ray Smith, a Kentucky farmer and politician who served as commissioner of agriculture, died October 10, 2026, aged 82.
Born William Ray Smith on April 5, 1944, he came from a multigenerational farming and cattle-breeding family in Bowling Green. Smith studied agriculture at Western Kentucky University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in 1965.
After completing his degree, he worked for Pan American Mills, a grain elevator and livestock-feed company. He entered public office as a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives, serving from 1982 to 1996. His 14 years in the legislature preceded his appointment to a statewide agricultural office: in 1996, Smith became Kentucky commissioner of agriculture. He held that position through 2004, completing two terms. Smith was the first agriculture commissioner to be elected to two terms. His career brought together work in the state legislature and leadership of the state agriculture department, while his education, early employment and family background all had ties to farming and livestock. The sequence of his public service began in the House and continued in the agriculture commissioner’s office, where he served for eight years. His time as commissioner ended in 2004, after which his public record included 14 years in the legislature and two terms overseeing Kentucky agriculture.