Dates
Heaven gained a beautiful soul when Johnnie Kathryn White Smith died Friday, September 2, 2016 at Baptist Retirement Community at the age of 99.
Kathryn was born April 30, 1917 in a farmhouse near Vernon, Texas, to Johnnie Richard White and Sarah Kathryn White. She graduated from Vernon High School and attended Business School. She met T.M. Smith when they were both working at Victory Field in Vernon, and they married May 30, 1947, in the parsonage of Baptist minister, Dr. E.S. James in Vernon. She and T.M. had their children Linda and David before moving to San Angelo in 1962, where she was a stay-at-home mother for several years before working at Wells Pharmacy. She was secretary at the Tom Green County Agents Office for sixteen years before retiring in 1981.
Kathryn loved her children and grandchildren. She loved being a homemaker. She had the gift of giving. Christmases were special times because she loved to cook and loved giving gifts. She enjoyed sewing and she was always fashionably dressed for the occasion. She loved beautiful things – she loved to garden and loved to have beautiful flowers in the yard. She loved laughter and had a very contagious laugh. Her great strength and love for her family will always live on in our hearts. She and her husband were active, faithful members of Park Heights Baptist Church.
After T.M. died in 1996, she moved to a duplex at Baptist Retirement Community. There she was an active member of Baptist Auxiliary and volunteered in the Thrift Shop. She also enjoyed visiting and welcoming new residents to BRC. She joined First Baptist Church, where she was a faithful member and loved her Sunday School class. As her health declined, Kathryn was lovingly cared for at Baptist Retirement Community.
She is survived by daughter Linda Bratcher and husband Laylan of San Angelo; son David Smith and wife Sue of Georgetown: grandchildren Scott Bratcher and wife Sara of Lubbock, Stephanie Wright and husband Jody of Arlington, Corissa Rossow and husband Todd of Victoria, and Ashley Harry and husband Tim of Odessa; great-grandchildren Joshua and Hayden Wright of Arlington, Trent Bratcher of Lubbock, Kellen Rossow of Victoria, and Seth, Levi and Micah Harry of Odessa.
She is also survived by brother Perry White and wife Marguerite of Dallas and by numerous nieces, nephews and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband T.M. Smith; brothers Elbert White, Owen White, and Richard White; sisters Viola Railsback, Mary Ann Sherman, and Frances Allen.
Visitation will be from 5:30 P.M. – 7:00 P.M., Monday, September 5, 2016 at Harper Funeral Home, 2606 Southland Blvd, San Angelo. A celebration service will be 1:00 P.M., Tuesday, September 6, 2016 at the First Baptist Church, San Angelo, TX. Interment will be at Lawnhaven Memorials Garden with arrangements by Harper Funeral Home.
The family wishes to express appreciation to the staff at Sagecrest Alzheimer’s Facility, Baptist Retirement Community, for their loving care. Memorials may be made to Sagecrest Alzheimer’s Facility at Baptist Retirement Community, PO Box 5661, San Angelo, TX 76902 or to the charity of their choice.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. II Timothy 4:7