Donna D. Smith

Donna Dale Smith died Thursday, March 16, 2023, at the age of 79 with her husband and friends close.

Donna was born January 20, 1944, to George W. and Anna Mae Stroade Reynolds in Dallas, Texas, and grew up in several West Texas cities, attended junior and senior high in Pecos, Texas, graduated from Monterey High School, Lubbock, Texas, in 1961. She attended Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, graduating with a Bachelor of Education in 1965. She taught elementary students in Rankin, Texas, in the Spring of 1965. She accepted a teaching position in the Fall of 1965 in Lubbock, Texas, teaching first grade at Jackson Elementary School. While at Jackson she taught the inaugural summer LISD Head-start Program.

In September of 1965, Donna met James (Jim) Smith in Roy Bass’s Sunday School class at Second Baptist Church; they were married August 6, 1966. While living two years in Houston Texas, their son Warner was born in 1972. They returned to Lubbock the latter part of 1973, where their daughter Leanna was born in 1976.

After raising her children, her greatest joy, in the home, she began teaching in the Pre-School Kindergarten Program at Second Baptist subsequently becoming the program’s director for many years. In 1996, she began teaching a special education program for dyslexia students at Harwell Elementary School which was developed by the Scottish Rite Learning Center. She retired from teaching in 2011 to spend quality time with her grandson William.

She was a member and deacon of Second Baptist Church where she taught children in Sunday School for over fifty years. She volunteered as a Kids Hope mentor in elementary schools for several years. She had been a member of the Dawner’s Altrusa Club.

She enjoyed many road trips throughout the U.S. and special trips to the Canadian Maritime Provinces in addition to a Mediterranean cruise.

A woman of great personal strength and wisdom, she battled MS for 18 years. She had a wonderful expansive love of children and teaching. Donna was always cheerful and optimistic in spite of her physical condition. She was a friend to many. She loved sewing and quilting and had just completed a quilt of great beauty she so loved. A voracious reader, there are bookcases full of novels and teaching materials.

She was predeceased by her parents, a baby brother Gary, a sister Ann Long, and a son-in-law Bill Sullivan.

Survivors include her husband Jim, son Warner (Roxana) of Lutz, Florida, daughter Leanna Sullivan, and her grandson William Sullivan, whom she adored. She is also survived by her sister Jane Chapman (Bob) of Plano, Texas, brother Fred Reynolds (Sharon) of Aledo, Texas, brother Rick Reynolds (Anita) of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

A family visitation is scheduled for 6:00 - 8:00 pm Monday, March 20th at Resthaven Funeral Home. A Memorial service will be held at 1:00 pm Tuesday, March 21st at Second Baptist Church.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Second Baptist Church, 6109 Chicago, Lubbock, TX 79424 or to a charitable organization of their choosing.