* Owen B. Smith; School Maintenance Worker

Owen Billy Smith, a school grounds maintenance worker, died Saturday at Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura following a lengthy illness. He was 61.

He was born on March 24, 1939, in Heavener, Okla., and moved to Ventura County when he was about 15 years old.

For the past 18 years, Smith worked for the Ventura Unified School District in the grounds maintenance department.

Smith loved camping, fishing, playing horseshoes and gardening. He especially enjoyed the time he spent with his grandchildren, according to family members.

He is survived by his wife, Anita Smith, of Ventura; daughters Victoria Havens and Heide Smith of Ventura; sons Jeffrey of Novi, Mich. and Rodney of Oswego, N.Y.; a daughter-in-law, Teri Reid of Ventura; sisters Helen Frances of Fort Smith, Ark. and Alpha Tolbert of Redding; brother Derwin Smith of Sparks, Nev.; and nine grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a son, Billy Ray Smith, in 1999.

Visitation is scheduled from 3 to 8 p.m. today at the Ted Mayr Funeral Home in Ventura, which is handling the arrangements .

Funeral services are scheduled at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Ted Mayr Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will follow at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park in Ventura.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Heart Assn. of Ventura County, 2500 E. Las Posas Road, Camarillo 93010.