Velma Leona Smith

Services will be held Monday, March 1st at 10 a.m at Bratcher Funeral Home Chapel, Denison Texas. Her grandson, Pastor Jeremy Pace, will be officiating. She will be buried at Cedarlawn Memorial Park. Pallbearers will be her grandsons, Jeremy Pace, Jared Pace, Jason Jacob, David Clark and Brad Monk. There will be no family visitation but anyone is welcome to stop by Bratcher Funeral Home on Sunday February 28, 2021 from 10am to 3pm or sign the online registry at www.bratcherfuneralhome.com

Mow, as she was affectionately known as by her family and close friends, was born March 21, 1928 in Koshkonogo, MO to Jessie and Lydia Brazeal Howell. She had six sisters and two brothers. She was introduced to Johnny Fate Smith by a family friend while he was in the service during WW11. Their relationship grew as they wrote one another and soon after he returned from the service they married on April 10, 1946.

Along with being a mom to three boys and one daughter, our Mow worked hard alongside our Pop at their grocery store, Smitty’s Grocery for many years, and met many friends along the way. They were members of Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church. They retired to the country life in Oklahoma where they where they realized their true calling….planting a huge vegetable garden, with many different fruit trees, along with beautiful flower beds and even some cows and chickens to complete their small paradise. They also loved to travel.

After Pop passed away, Mow moved to Mauk Circle where she lived on her own until October 2020. During her years at Mauk Circle she met many friends. We want to acknowledge her good friendship with Charles Flood, who gave her much joy and whom preceded her death.

Mow is preceded in death by her parents, three siblings, her husband, Johnny F. Smith; her son, Danny Smith, her grandson, Danny Lynn Smith. She is survived by her two sons, Leroy and wife Retha Smith of Pottsboro, Texas, Ricky and wife Wilma Smith of Grand Prairie, and her daughter Karen and husband Lynn Pace of Dallas Texas. She is also survived by five grandchildren, 10 great grandchildren and one great, great granddaughter. The family would like to thank Home Instead & Centric Hospice for their loving care of our sweet Mow during her last days.

“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust and will not be afraid; for the LORD God is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation.” Isaiah 12:2