Mumford Michael Smith, 73, passed away on March 1, 2014. after a long and adventurous life filled devotion to his family and community. Michael will be remembered as a loving husband, respected business man and devoted father, grandfather, and great grandfather as well as a trusted friend and confidant. Michael was born in Brownfield, Texas on August 16, 1940 to Irma Ione Renfro Smith and Cecil Jackson Smith. He was the youngest of 3 children and started working at the age of 12. He became a Ham Radio Operator at the age of 13 and graduated from Brownfield High School in 1958. He served in the United States Army and National Guard as a young man. Mumford Michael Smith became a Free Mason at the age of 21 and attained 32nd degree. He was also an active Shriner in Corpus Christi and served as the treasurer for the first divan. Michael was a member of the Corpus Christi Lodge for over 50 years.
On March 18, 1960 Michael married his high school sweetheart, Ella Theretha Smith. Michael and Theretha will be remembered for the love that they shared for one another. They lived a true life of devotion to one another and their family. Michael graduated from Texas Tech University in 1965 with a Bachelor of Science Degree and became a Certified Public Accountant in 1967 in both Texas and New Mexico. He moved to Corpus Christi with his young family in 1967 and worked as a Certified Public Accountant in private practice. He and his loving wife built the largest private accounting firm in the State of Texas. During this time, Michael served the Girl Scouts of South Texas for 25 years and served as a Boy Scout leader and on the board of P&S Hospital. Michael was an avid yachtsman. He and Theretha hosted many foreign yacht racing teams that traveled to Corpus Christi to compete in world championship racing. Michael was a board member of the Corpus Christi Yacht Club, served the Texas Ocean Racing Circuit, and the Midget Ocean Racing Circuit. Michael was a private pilot, enjoyed golf, and skeet shooting. He was a founding member for the Corpus Christi Red Raider Club and rarely missed a Red Raider football game either in person or on television. Michael and his wife moved to San Antonio in 1993 where Michael continued his CPA firm. He became the first person in the world to have earned the designations of Certified Business Appraiser, American Society of Appraisers, Certified Financial Planner, Personal Financial Specialist, and Business Valuation: All Levels. With these credentials, Mike did business valuations and financial Planning on a world scope. He was a Rotarian in San Antonio, a member of the San Antonio Gun Club, and member of the San Antonio Petroleum Club. With his loving wife and daughter by his side, Michael fought a valiant 12 year battle with cancer. During this time he often said that without MD Anderson Cancer Center, he would not have been able to have lived as many years as he did.
He is preceded in death by his mother, Irma Ione Smith, his father, Cecil Jackson Smith, his brother, Cecil Ross Smith, and his sister, Irma Jean Kendrick. He is survived by his loving wife of 54 years, Ella Theretha Smith, son, Michael Dale Smith, daughter, Kimberley Kay Smith Brown, 3 grandchildren, Jarrett William Smith, Jessamine Theretha Brown, Scott Ashton Brown II, and his great grandson, Auguste Evan Brown. He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Wanda Wanoka Rubner, niece, Natalie Dawn Johnson and nephews, Seth Lane Johnson and Brody Coe Starkey.
Visitation will be held at Sunset Memorial Park in San Antonio on Wednesday, March 5, 2014 from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm. Funerals services will be at Alamo Heights United Methodist Church on Thursday, March 6, 2014 at 10:00 am. with internment immediately following at Sunset Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to MD Anderson Cancer Center or Shriner’s Childrens Hospital.
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