Ann Smith

As a young girl, Ann was sorely tried by her mother’s efforts to mold her into a young lady as she much preferred to ride her horse through town pretending to be a cowboy. She did not find much use for bathing, neatly combed hair, or the wearing of dresses.

At some point during her early years, Ann stopped being a cowboy in favor of being a queen - a persona she kept for the rest of her life. Although her love of horses never left her, she became interested in the automobile as an alternate method of transportation early in her life. She drove with all the experience, skill, and confidence that one might expect of a 13-year-old… and her family credits divine intervention for her maturation into adulthood. It should be noted that she never did develop a sense of direction, but she did not let that stop her from telling people how fast or slow to drive and where SHE thought they should turn. There are many, many people who can attest to making frantic, desperate U-turns while Queen Ann navigated for them.

At the age of 14, she was invited by one of her friends to visit relatives in New York City. The relatives were a couple that both worked for one of the newspapers so, at one point she found herself accompanying them to a press conference with General Eisenhower and this sparked a deep interest in journalism. While her hosts were working the girls were free to wander around the city. From the stories Ann told, the girls received considerably less supervision than their parents might have expected, and - if the cocktail napkins and matchbooks she brought back as souvenirs are to be believed - they visited several of the more well-known nightclubs.

Ann and Glenn gave their lives to Christ in 1971. A few years later they began traveling, preaching, and sharing Christ on the rodeo circuit and in the greater Western world. They had many adventures that have been widely shared in their newsletters, books, and teachings.

Eventually, Ann and Glenn semi-retired in Midland, Texas. When he wasn’t preaching Glenn enjoyed going to the airport, eating M&Ms, and watching television…so Ann stepped up and got busy supervising Glenn’s activities, diet, and television choices. But she also continued to write about and share Jesus with every person she could get to listen to her - and her unwavering tenacity had great success at getting people to listen.

From the day she accepted Christ, Ann had a powerful drive for witnessing and a strong anointing for it, as well. Who among us has not waited around in a restaurant or at a cash register while Ann talked to the server or the cashier? You could never just make a quick run into a store with her. As often as not, Ann and the salesperson would end up in a deep and lengthy conversation about salvation, healing, or repentance.

Ann was a cowboy, a queen, a wife, a mother, a witness, and perhaps most markedly she was a prayer warrior. She prayed, and prayed, and prayed for others. People who came to her for prayer received her faith for their needs. She had faith in God for others, even when she sometimes doubted for herself. She knew God’s love for others, she believed His word, and she poured that out on people.

Ann and Glenn had been married for almost 50 years when he went home to the Lord on February 8, 2010. After he left Ann continued to spend time ministering to others, writing, shopping at Dillard’s, amassing a collection of their shopping bags, witnessing, and remaining keenly interested in what God was doing in and for others. She traveled some in the early years after Glenn’s death until her health made that difficult.

The last two years of Ann’s life were challenging. Her health was deteriorating, and she missed Glenn and their ministry adventures together. She chafed at the restrictions her health placed on her ability to “go” and “do.” But she continued to pray, read the Word, and talk to people about Jesus at any and every given opportunity.

And now she stands in the presence of He whom she has turned her face toward for so many years on behalf of anyone who asked. She is now with Glenn, his son Kenny, her parents Bill and Edith, her brother Bill Ed, and the rest of her loved ones who have gone before her.

We thank the Lord for taking her home. She was ready.

Ann is survived by her daughters Pam Thompson and husband Charlie, Kay Silver and husband Sterling, granddaughter Leigh Thompson, her stepdaughters Carla and husband Zack Pledger, Bunny Brookshear and daughter Nikki Brookshear, her honorary son Jay Conatser, plus 26 additional grandchildren, great-great children and great-great-grandchildren.

The memorial service will be streamed from the Resthaven Funeral Home in Lubbock. In lieu of flowers, the family asks you consider donating to The Cowboy Church Of The Valley (http://www.westernoutreach.org) or to a Pancreatic Cancer research or charity in honor of Dad.