Dorothy Mae Smith

Dorothy Mae “Dot” Smith, 97, went to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on October 5, 2024, at her home in Longview, Texas, surrounded by loved ones. Born on September 25, 1927, in Manchester, Georgia, Dot was the cherished daughter of John Willie Smith and Edna Viola Follendore Smith. She spent her early years in the cotton mill towns of Georgia and Alabama, with much of her childhood spent in Pepperell, near Opelika, Alabama. Dot graduated from Opelika High School and, while working part-time at a grocery store in Opelika, met the love of her life, James Madison Smith, a college student at Auburn University.

Dot and James were married on April 27, 1945 after his return from military service during World War II. She loved being able to tell people that she “was a Smith and married a Smith.” Together, they built a beautiful life, starting in Auburn where Dot worked while James completed his master’s degree. Their journey took them to Mobile, Alabama where they welcomed their two daughters, Sharyn and Susan, and made lifelong memories.

In 1965, the family moved to Bastrop, Louisiana for a brief period before settling in Silsbee, Texas in 1967, which Dot always considered her true home. Silsbee embraced her energetic and giving spirit, and Dot gave back to the community tenfold. She quickly became involved in numerous civic and charitable activities, embodying the role of a dedicated servant leader.

Her contributions to Silsbee were numerous. She was a member of the Silsbee Woman’s Club, co-founded the American Heart Association of Hardin County, served on the Hardin County Home Life Committee, and helped sponsor the Silsbee Little Theater. She made history as the first woman elected to the Silsbee School Board, serving for many years and leaving an indelible mark on education in the community.

Dot's love for her town extended to the American Cancer Society, the Azalea Garden Club, the Silsbee Chamber of Commerce, and the Silsbee Library Board. She led the town’s Bicentennial Celebration Committee in 1976 and was honored as Silsbee's Outstanding Citizen in 1982. Her legacy of service and hospitality was also deeply felt at First Baptist Church of Silsbee, where she faithfully taught Sunday School, worked with children and youth, and was a dedicated volunteer in Vacation Bible School for many years. In their later years, she and her husband James helped initiate Texercise, a church-sponsored senior adult exercise program.

She had a true gift of hospitality and was the quintessential Southern belle. She welcomed countless guests into her home with warmth and grace. Her home was always a place of celebration, comfort, and joy for those around her. Over the years, she hosted numerous baby showers and wedding showers and played a key role in assisting with hundreds of weddings, sharing her love and care with each family she touched.

She loved all holidays, but Christmas was especially close to her heart. Every year, she and James would dress up as Santa and Mrs. Claus, bringing joy and gifts to children who otherwise might not have received anything. Their generosity with both their time and resources was well known by everyone who knew them.

Dot loved her family deeply and poured herself into the lives of her children and grandchildren. She and James, known by their grandchildren and much of the community as Doe and Buck, followed their grandchildren's activities with great pride, attending every game, performance, and special event. Both were active in athletic booster clubs, supporting their grandchildren's accomplishments with unwavering enthusiasm. Her love and dedication to her family were the heart of her life and her presence will forever be felt by those she loved.

Dot is remembered for her boundless energy, deep faith in God, and commitment to her family and community. Her life was a testimony to the power of service, love, and faith, and she leaves behind a legacy that will be cherished by all who knew her.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband James, and her daughter Sharyn Grisham.

She is survived by her daughter Susan and son-in-law Rodney Henry and her son-in- law Ronald Grisham. She is also survived by her five grandchildren: Tommy Tatum and his wife Amy, Bryan Tatum, Jayme Grisham, Justin Henry and his wife Johanna, and Kevin Henry and his wife Katie. Her great-grandchildren include Ryan Tatum, Lindsay Tatum, Haley Tatum Orman, Brittany Tatum, Cade Tatum, Mallory Tatum, Katelyn Malone, Lauryn Malone, Annabelle Henry, Margot Henry, Fisher Henry, and Corrie Henry. Her two great-great-grandchildren are Vivian Welborn and Rand Orman.

A celebration of Dot’s life will be held at First Baptist Church of Silsbee on Thursday, October 10, 2024 at 1 pm in the sanctuary. There will be a time of visitation at noon preceding the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to First Baptist Church of Silsbee or Buckner International.

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