May Beth Watson Smith, age 92, passed away peacefully the morning of August 29, 2023. She was a longtime resident of Garland, Texas, descended from pioneers who made the long, difficult journey to Texas in the 19th century. Her maternal grandparents, L.M.T. Flook and Catherine Bechtel Flook journeyed by train and sea from Middletown, Maryland with their life savings sewn into their garments. They settled in Garland and bought 340 acres to start a successful farm. Her paternal grandfather, William Ardrey Watson, Jr., left the family farm in Kansas with 50 cents in his pocket, hopped on a horse and headed to Texas to find his future. She led her own life with this sense of adventure and curiosity.
Salutatorian of the Garland High School class of 1947, she headed to Baylor University at age 16, where she majored in English and education, graduating in 1951. She played the organ on a Baylor radio show of poetry reading, “Mood in Velvet.” There she met her love, Joseph Easterly Smith, and they were married at the Garland Baptist Church on June, 17, 1952. She wanted to choose an ice blue wedding gown, but she gave into her mother’s insistence that it be traditional white. She taught a class of 46 second graders at Garland Elementary School the year before her marriage, and then shortly after the wedding headed to San Diego where Joe had begun his service in the Navy. Their first child, Cynthia Marie arrived April 20, 1953, during their time in San Diego. May Beth also taught second grade in San Diego until the birth of Cynthia.
After Joe completed his naval obligations, they returned home to Garland. Joe initially worked at Kraft Foods, but soon began his career of land development and commercial real estate. He developed some of the land that had originally belonged to L.M.T. Flook to create Meadowlark Estates. Joe and May Beth were always a team in business, with May Beth naming all of the streets in Meadowlark after birds. They built a home on Mockingbird Lane, where their second child, Gary Joe, was soon born May 14,1958.
Travel was an important part of May Beth’s life. Her parents would take her on long summer trips to visit family and friends across the country. She climbed to the top of most state capitol buildings with her father, and even played the piano at the White House during a tour. She continued to correspond throughout her life with most of the distant relatives and friends they visited on these trips. Every summer Joe and May Beth would take their children on car trips across the continental United States. May Beth planned an extraordinary, magical six week long European trip the summer of 1968. Several months after returning home, their third child, Robert Alan Smith, was born on March 14, 1969. He was the child who worked with Joe in the family business and has stayed closest to home.
May Beth was very active in the community, and was a past president of the following clubs: Garland Women of Rotary, Tale Spinners Story League, The Lillialma Bradfield Story League, Garland Music Club, Garland Book Review Club, Northerest Literary Club, Smart Money Investment Club, Twentieth Century Study Club and the Women’s Auxiliary to Baylor University Medical Center. She also belonged to the Garland Federation of Clubs and the Highland Park Browning Club. She was active in the Baylor University Women’s Council, and was awarded the Ruth Award by Dallas Baptist University. She served in the Parent Teacher Associations at her children’s schools, and was a Campfire Girls and Cub Scout leader. At Park Cities Baptist Church she served as president of Baptist Women, director of the W.M.U., and taught Sunday School, Mission Friends and Girls in Action. She was a trustee for Buckner Baptist Benevolences, secretary of the Women’s Auxiliary Board of Dallas Baptist University, and served on the Dallas Symphony Orchestra League. She was always interested and involved in the interests of her children and grandchildren, and provided a great example of how to be a Mother, Mother-in-law, Grandmother, friend and community leader. Her influence will continue to be felt strongly, and will be missed by all who had the good fortune to know her.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Joseph Easterly Smith and her parents, Robert Clifford Watson and Hattie May Flook.
She is survived by her children, Cynthia Marie Smith Rogers (husband John Eli Rogers, Jr.), Gary Joe Smith (wife Ann Evers Smith), and Robert Alan Smith (wife Dorothy Dunklin Rehm Smith); grandchildren Julie Marie Avis Rogers (wife Alyssa Avis Rogers), John Joseph Rogers (wife Allison Leopoldina Schommer Rogers), Elijah Clemens Smith, Mitchell Watson Smith, Philip Dunklin Smith and Katharine Elizabeth Smith; and great grandchild Ezekiel Andre Avis Rogers.
Celebration of Life service was held Monday, October 16, 2023 at 11 a.m. at the Ellis Chapel at Park Cities Baptist Church.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to:
Dallas Baptist University, 3000 Mountain Creek Parkway, Dallas, TX 75211-9299
Garland Cultural Arts Commission, City of Garland, P.O. Box 469002, Garland, Texas 75046