Ferrellea Smith

She had a unique name, one which has been mispronounced by so many, and led a unique life. Although she never gave birth to children of her own, family shaped and defined her entire journey.

She was born in Pryor, Oklahoma, the only child of Bill and Ollie Mae Shelton. She was the apple of her father’s eye, as well as the many uncles and aunts she was surrounded by. She graduated from high school and immediately began a career with Anchor Petroleum, where she worked with people much older than she was, yet she carved out the beginnings of a career in oil which would last decades.

After her company was purchased by Mobil Oil Company, she moved to Dallas to continue working for Mobil Oil. At a gospel singing event, she heard a young man singing bass in a gospel quartet. She would later meet this young man and then marry him in 1963. Kirby (KB) and Ferrellea bought their home on Parkdale in Dallas and began their life together.

They eventually retired and moved to Frankston, where she was surrounded by an aunt and uncle and many, many cousins. She and KB remained on the farm until KB passed away in 2004. Ferrellea, being determined and fiercely independent, remained on the farm until 2023, when an unexpected fall forced her to relocate to McKinney, Texas.

Mama, as her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren would call her, was a woman to admire. She was as quick to admonish you as she was to defend you. Her grandchildren: Glynn, Bryan, and Stacy were the very center of her world, and she was the center of theirs. Whether it was trips to the lake or weekends at Parkdale, they looked for any excuse to spend time with their Papa and Mama. They played Wahoo, had wonderful holiday meals, or would just sit around and debate the problems of the world. She added to this list of grandchildren as marriages brought Kathleen, Glynn’s wife and Jeremy, Stacy’s husband, into this tight knit group. When the next generation of grandkids arrived, she carved out a place in their lives as well. Devyn, William, Amberly, Kate, Jayme, Jaylyn, Brice, Jax, and Reid brought a new chapter of joy to her life, and she brought joy to theirs. Her list of great-grandchildren was added to once again when marriage brought Brett, William’s husband, to the group. She is meeting her first great-great-grandson, Jasper James, in heaven. His brother, Judah, was her final grandchild, and she loved him dearly.

On one of the last days on this earth, she knew her health was failing. One of her grandsons was away on a trip, so she simply decided that she would wait until he could get back before closing this chapter of her journey. While she was waiting, she had in-person visits and Zoom visits with many of her great-grandkids. On Saturday, April 12, Glynn and Kathleen arrived at the hospital, and she was able to have a final visit surrounded by her family. She spent the afternoon laughing and crying and ending this wonderful journey exactly as she had scripted it. She left peacefully in the early morning hours of April 14th. She had created a multigenerational family legacy, and her absence will be felt forever.

A visitation for Ferrellea will be held Saturday, April 19, 2025 from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM with funeral service to follow from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM. A committal will occur from 3:00 PM to 3:30 PM at Grove Hill Memorial Park, 3920 Samuell Blvd., Dallas, Texas 75228.