Elza H Smith Jr.

Tuesday, June 16, 2020, with his wife of 43 years, Beverly, by his side.

A viewing and service will be held on Monday June 22, 2020, in the Main Chapel of Forest Park

Lawndale. Viewing is from 11:00am to 12:00pm with an Eastern Star and Masonic funeral service

commencing at noon.

Elza was a native Houstonian born on November 4, 1939, to Loucille and Elza H Smith Sr. In addition to

Beverly, he is survived by his son, Elza H. Smith III, sisters Naomi Wolfe and Laura Sharp and husband

Richard, and sister-in-law, Nancy Childress and husband, Randy.

Elza received great joy from his extended family of nieces and nephews who include Laura Ann Peace

and husband, Chad, Patty Douglas and husband Gregory, Lyndsay Mitchell and husband Ian, Chase

Childress, Suzanne Mocny and husband, Vincent, Mitchell Meece and wife, Anna, and great nephew,

Wayne Meece. He was very proud when any of his family earned a degree and made a point to attend

their graduations. In the last few years, he became a great uncle to nieces Charlotte, Chelsea, Monroe

and Claire who enlivened every family get together and always gave him a good chuckle.

After graduation from Sam High School in Houston in 1957, Elza enlisted in the army. Upon returning

from the service he joined the Houston Fire Department in 1964 where he became one of the first

paramedics for the City of Houston. In 1975, Elza retired from the fire department and joined the

Harris County Sheriff’s Department where he was assigned to the county jail processing inmates. He

later transferred to the Patrol Division working in Houston’s East End until 1979. He then was hired by

Precinct 5 of the Harris County Constable’s Office and later worked for Precinct 3, retiring in 2000.

Elza was a member of the Park Place Masonic Lodge #1172, Houston, earning the rank of Master Mason.

He also belonged to the the Order of the Eastern Star, Andral Vann Chapter #741 and Pasadena Chapter

#711, as well as held membership in the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry. Elza valued the numerous

friendships these organizations provided.

One of his favorite past times was cruising on his Harley Davidson and enjoying the camaraderie of other

cycle enthusiasts. He was a founding member of the Deacons of Deadwood, a motorcycle organization

created with a two fold purpose: the opportunity to travel with like minded bikers as well as a means

to serve the community by hosting special charity events. Seated on the back of his bike, Beverly would

accompany him on numerous treks that took them to such places as Sturgis, Florida, New York, Seattle,

Utah, Colorado and New Hampshire. His son, Elza III, often traveled with them.

Elza had varied interests during his retirement. He was always game for trips that Beverly planned to

such destinations as Puerto Rico, the Panama Canal, Paris, Rome and Mexico. When not traveling he

spent hours building wooden furniture which he would often gift to family and friends. He very much

enjoyed their bay house in Anahuac, Texas, where both he and Beverly would spend hours sitting on the

dock feeding the fish and taking in the beautiful sunsets over Trinity Bay.

Our husband, father, brother, uncle, great uncle and friend used to say, “I have to be one of the luckiest

men on Earth for God to have given me all these blessings!” Though many years gone, Elza would

remember his father referring to him as My Fellow. We know he would now tell his son, “Yours was a

life well lived, My Fellow.”