John Henderson Smither

JOHN HENDERSON SMITHER, loving husband, father and "Poppy", leading attorney and arts patron, died on June 6, 2002. He was surrounded by his family in the place he most loved, the home of his grandparents that he and his wife Stephanie had restored on Sunset Lake in Huntsville, Texas. He was born October 6, 1940, to Ruth and Robert Smither. He graduated from Huntsville High School in 1958. After attending The Citadel, he received his Bachelor's Degree with Honors in Finance from the University of Texas in 1962, where he was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity. He graduated from University of Texas School of Law in 1964. Commissioned as a lieutenant, John served in the United States Military Police in Germany until 1966. Following his military service, John joined Vinson & Elkins, where he practiced law for 36 years. John was instrumental in establishing the Firm's Employment Litigation and Labor Section, chairing this law practice group for 20 years. In recognition of John's contributions to the Firm, he was elected to the Management Committee in 1991 and served for nine years. John was among the first lawyers in Texas certified as a specialist in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Bar Association. He was widely recognized as a leading Employment and Labor Law expert and regularly represented clients in federal and state courts and before administrative agencies throughout the United States. John held leadership positions in numerous national and state professional organizations, including the National Banking Industry Labor Law Committee, the American Hospital Association Labor Relations Advisory Committee, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Task Force on Labor Law, and the Texas Association of Business. John published papers and lectured frequently on Employment and Labor Law topics throughout his career and was honored in the compilation of the Best Lawyers in America. His clients, colleagues, and adversaries regarded him as a gifted and honorable trial lawyer. His partners and the numerous lawyers he mentored, both loved and admired him for his graciousness, fairness, and sense of humor. Included in John's numerous contributions to the Houston community was his service as President of the Houston Ballet for 1998 and 1999 and as Chairman of the Board of the Houston Ballet Foundation until 2002. This year, the Houston Ballet recognized John's service by creating the John H. Smither Scholarship and by naming him Chairman Emeritus of the Board. John and Stephanie shared a passion for American Folk Art. John served on the Board of The Orange Show Foundation, an organization dedicated to the preservation and encouragement of Houston folk art. In the past two years, John and Stephanie compiled and published the book Collective Willeto, a celebration of Charlie Willeto and his works. He was an active member of the United Methodist Church all of his life and a member of St. Luke's United Methodist Church in Houston, TX. John is survived by his beloved wife Stephanie, whom he married in 1960. He is also survived by his son John Kerr Smither of Huntsville; his daughters Ashley and her husband Curt Langley, Paige and her husband Todd Johnson, and seven grandchildren: Austin, Madison and Jack Langley and Wells, John David, Pierce and Hill Johnson, all of Houston; his brother Wilbur and his wife Martha Smither of Dallas, his sister-in-law Reverend Trudie Smither of Dallas; his brother-in-law and sister-in-law Zou and Boyd Cherry and his mother-in-law Mrs. Frankie Zou Kerr of Houston; Pallbearers are C.C. Conner, Doug Hamel, Carl Jordan, Peter Killinger, Bob Moore, David Redford, Jerry Rochelle, Mac Sharpe and Ben Stevenson. Graveside services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, June 10 at the Mayes Addition of the Oakwood Cemetery in Huntsville, Texas, under the direction of Huntsville Funeral Home. A memorial service in celebration of John's life will be held at St. Luke's United Methodist Church in Houston at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, June 11. Friends are invited to join the family at their home in Houston following the service. Those wishing to make a gift in memory of John may do so to either the John Smither Scholarship Award at the Houston Ballet, 1921 W. Bell, Houston, TX 77019, or to the Smither Fund at The Orange Show Foundation, 2402 Munger, Houston, TX 77023. Arrangements are being handled by the Huntsville Funeral Home, 1215 15th Street, Huntsville, TX 77340. (936-295-6363).