Harold Dean Smith

Harold Dean Smith was born May 19, 1929 in Bright Star, Arkansas to Nellie & O.C. Smith, he passed away Sept. 5, 2012. He was raised on the family ranch in the three corners area of Texas, Arkansas & Louisiana. He learned to work at an early age helping his Dad with the cattle and logging business. He married Wanda Griggs and they had two daughters, Patsy Ann and Lynn.

Harold moved his family to West Texas in the 40’s hoping to provide a better life for his wife and daughters. He was a driller on some of the first oil wells drilled in the Goldsmith area as well as many other fields in West Texas. He spent a year in Costa Rica driving in the first motorized rolling vehicles that the Costa Ricans had ever seen. Needing to get back to his family Harold came back to West Texas and bought into a boat business which he enjoyed. Some of his favorite stories were of spending time on the lake with his customers and his daughters.

Harold had a longing to return to his roots in East Texas. They returned to the three corner area until Wanda became ill and they moved back to West Texas to be near their daughters and their families. They decided to settle in Big Lake. Wanda passed away in 1993.

In 1995 Harold married the second Wanda in his life, not only gaining a wife but three grown children and their families came along; Pam, Donna Kay and William.

In 2009 Harold and Wanda decided to move to Odessa to be closer to medical facilities. He enjoyed almost 3 years at their new home before his health deteriorated.

Harold is survived by his wife Wanda Jean of Odessa. Daughters Patsy Ann Davis and husband Chuck of Normandy Park, Washington and Lynn Cox of Austin, 3 step children; Pam Cornett and husband Mike of Gardendale, Donna Evans and husband Paul of Boerne and William McBee of McCamey, 9 grandkids, 1 great grandchild, 2 sisters, nieces and nephews.