Karen Sue Hunt Smithson

Beloved mother, wife, sister and friend, Karen Sue (Hunt) Smithson, passed away at home on December 27th, 2011, after a three-year fight with breast cancer. She was born in Luling, Texas, on June 27, 1953, to Lewis Hunt and Clydeine Stewart, both of whom preceded her in death. She is survived by her husband, Harris Smithson; brother, Stewart Hunt and wife, Patsy; son, Wade Burchard and wife, Rachel, and their daughter Harper; son, Brock Burchard; stepson, Blake Smithson; stepdaughter, Shannon Oelrich and husband, David, and their daughter, Greta.

Karen received her bachelor’s degree from Our Lady of the Lake University. She was a valued employee of Broadway Bancshares for over 29 years. Karen held a number of officer-level positions, including management roles at several Broadway Banking Centers and Cashier of Broadway’s Military Bank - Eisenhower National Bank. Most recently she served as Senior Vice President - Special Projects, playing an instrumental role in the development of the bank’s new Administration Center, which opened in December of this year. Karen was also active in the business community. She was the first female president of the Rotary Club of San Antonio Northeast (1993-94) and a member of the Board of Directors of the Downtown Alliance (1996-99).

Karen graduated from New Braunfels High School, where she made friends for life. She often shared time with her high school girlfriends, going on trips together or just hanging out at the lake house. Just three months ago, Karen enthusiastically chaired her 40th class reunion.

Karen kept making friends throughout her life. She and Harris loved being at their house in Horseshoe Bay, where they’ve had a home since 2004. A friend from there recently wrote, “To those who knew Karen, you will remember her as a truly delightful woman whose smile never faded, and who possessed an attitude of genuine warmth and strength of spirit. Her battle over these past years never kept her from enjoying life and she continued that forward movement until the last.”

Harris and Karen were partners in life, in love and in golf, where she often beat him. Their shared zest for life kept them active and surrounded by friends, who have been such a comfort to both of them in the last few months. They loved to travel together, and just in September, they visited Colorado, Maine and Las Vegas.

Karen was a loving mother to Brock and Wade, who admired her charm, intellect and beauty. She enriched the lives of her stepchildren and daughter- and son-in-law immeasurably. Her biggest joys, however, were her grandchildren, Harper and Greta. They called her “MeMe” and she always called them her “angels”. Now MeMe is truly their angel, and her adoring presence will be with them always.

Fifty-eight years was too short a time to have Karen among us.

Internment will immediately follow this service at Guadalupe Valley Memorial Park. Memorial donations can be made in Karen’s name to the San Antonio affiliate of the Susan B. Komen foundation at www.komensanantonio.org.