Mrs. Rosemary (Bell) Smith

Rosemary Bell Smith was born on August 23, 1945. She was first born to Pinkston Lee Bell, Sr and Lucille Evelyn Henderson Bell who were already parents to Patricia Ann Bell and Pinkston Lee Bell, Jr. (from Pinkston Sr’s prior marriage to the deceased Jewell Ridom Bell). The family was blessed thereafter with siblings to Rosemary: Marvin, Delores, Sarah and John.

The Bell family were regular members of Buck Street Memorial Church of God and Christ. Elder Pinkston L. Bell, Sr and his wife, Lucille, were bible believing parents who kept a Christian home and a family steeped in the faith of lessons offered by the church. Her father was Superintendent of Sunday School which he also taught, was a deacon and later became pastor of Roy Memorial COGIC. Her mother served as a missionary and deaconess, worked with the church’s mission department and was first lady (minister’s wife) for many years.

Upon graduating from Kashmere Gardens High School, Rosemary began attending Texas Southern University and working alongside her mother, Lucille, at Sacred Heart Dominican College. There she met and soon married Joseph Thibodeaux in 1964. To Rosemary and Joseph was born her only child, Yolanda Michele Thibodeaux Cochran, in 1970.

In her professional career, Rosemary followed her father Pinkston and sister Delores to Hughes Tool Company where she worked for approximately 10 years. Working at Hughes was a highlight of her young adult years. There she made life long friends, not only working as a welder but also enjoying great social gatherings like parties, company league softball games and union meetings. Rosemary (along with her father, sister and many friends) was a proud member of the United Steelworkers Union Local 1742. Years later she worked for United Space Alliance (USA), GB Tech and LZ Technologies in Clear Lake, all contractors with NASA.

In 1995, Rosemary was introduced by a mutual friend to Jesse Jerome Smith. They were married in June of that year and have made their home ever since in north Houston. While Rosemary worked at NASA, Jesse drove trucks for Mrs. Baird’s, serving decades before his retirement in 2005.

Rosemary was preceded in death by her parents, sister Sarah, brother Marvin, sister Patricia, brother Pinkston and brother John.

Surviving Rosemary is husband Jesse, her daughter Yolanda (husband JD Cochran), sister Delores Bell Washington, granddaughters McKenna and Logynne Cochran, sister-in-law Linda Bell, cousins, nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends. She will be remembered always by a host of friends and church family members from Buck Street.