Susan Lynn Brown-Smith

Susan Lynn Brown-Smith (29 Oct 1959-28 Aug 2024) passed away at a local Tyler hospital after a brief illness.

Susan was born in Dunkirk, NY to the late Glenn and Beverly Brown. Susan graduated from the State University of New York at Fredonia in 1981 with a teaching degree in Mathematics. She taught high school math in Vermont, New York and Maryland before meeting her husband Bruce T. Smith while in Maryland and marrying 24 May 1987. 

Susan found out what life as a wife of a U S Marine was as she and Bruce were stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, SC, Naval Ordnance Station Indianhead, MD, MCAS Iwakuni, Japan before retiring in April of 1999 from MCAS Beaufort, SC. Susan and Bruce moved to Manassas Park, VA as Bruce was hired first with the U S Department of State then back to the Department of Defense. Susan and Bruce returned to East Texas in Sept of 2005 where Susan became involved in her family church and participated in many mission outreach programs to include a mission trip to mainland China for 3 weeks in October of 2009.

In 2010, Susan answered the call to the ministry with the United Methodist Church as a local pastor first serving with the First United Methodist Church of Fruitvale, Texas, the Colfax Circuit in Van, TX, First United Methodist Church of Grand Saline, Texas and then assignment as associate pastor at Fairwood United Methodist Church in Tyler, Texas.

Susan was preceded in death by her father Glenn Brown and her mother Beverly Brown of Fredonia, NY; and also preceded in death by her son, Timothy Jackson Smith of Bryan, Texas.

Susan in survived by her husband of 37 years Bruce T. “Tim” Smith of Mineola; daughter, Brittany Ann (Smith) Garrett of Jacksonville, FL; grandsons, Jorden Smith of Middleburg, FL, Koley Williams of Mineola, Everett Jackl of Jacksonville, FL; granddaughter, Saylor Smith and daughter-in-law Skyla Smith of Bryan, Texas; along with various nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held from 6:00pm to 8:00pm on Thursday, September 5, 2024 at Lowe-Gardner Funeral Home in Quitman, TX. Services will begin at 11:00 am, Friday, September 6, 2024 at Smith Chapel Methodist Church, 670 FM 1804, Mineola under the direction of Lowe-Gardner Funeral Home of Quitman, Texas with Committal to follow at New Hope Cemetery.

Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to Hospice of East Texas or Fairwood United Methodist Church, Tyler Texas in Susan’s memory.