Henrietta Jackson Smith

GARLAND -- Henrietta (Henny) Jackson Smith, an incredible mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, a modern woman, and a wonderful member of the Greatest Generation passed quietly in her sleep on Sept. 12, 2013 in Richardson. Service: She will be honored in a memorial service at 1 p.m. on Friday at the Arlington Heights Christian/All Saints Presbyterian Church at 4629 Bryce Ave., Fort Worth. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer's Association in her memory. She escaped Alzheimer's bondage that, despite its best efforts, failed to subdue her extraordinary and loving spirit. Henny was born Nov. 16, 1928 to Hazel and Albert Lea Jackson in Whitewright, Texas. She would always emphasize that she was delivered at home by her uncle, Dr. Ross May, so she was literally "born free!" She attended Whitewright High School where she graduated as Valedictorian. She was accepted at Texas Technological College in Lubbock, Texas, where she graduated in 1949 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. It was also there that she met her husband Albert Thomas Smith, and they were married on Dec. 23, 1948. Albert preceded Henny in death in 1973. After teaching school in Spade, Tex. and following Albert in his military service to Roswell Air force Base, N.M. Henny, Albert and their first-born son lived in Coleman, Tex. After their second son was born there, the Smith family moved to Brownwood, Tex. After three more sons and a daughter were born, the Smith family moved finally to Fort Worth, which Henny called home until moving to Millsap and Richardson, Tex. in 2006 and 2012 respectively. During her long life, Henny was an active church member and church choir alto in the First Presbyterian Church in Coleman, the First and Union Presbyterian Church in Brownwood, and the First Christian Church in Fort Worth. Besides raising six children, Henny worked at Montgomery Wards in Brownwood, and the Texas Employment Commission and General Dynamics in Fort Worth. She loved music and theater, and loved to travel. She was an articulate, engaging woman, who never had an unkind word for anyone, and for whom there was never a stranger. Besides her husband Albert, she was preceded in death by her parents and older brother, Albert Lea Jackson, Jr. Survivors: she is survived by her children, John Smith of San Antonio, Mitchell Smith of Arlington, Clifton Smith of Fort Worth, Rodger Smith of North Richland Hills, Thomas Smith of Millsap, and Marjorie Atkinson of Garland; She also is survived by grandchildren Christopher, Sarah, Amy, Brian, Lisa, Charles, Samuel, Alison, Kieran, Erin, Braden, Timothy, Anna and Noah; Randall and Steven Gibson, as well as great-grandchildren Aidan, Adia, Maddox, Amelia, Anders, Merissa, Isaiah, Margaret (Maggie) and Emmaline.