Sandra Smith

1935 - 2020

Sandra Smith

Benton, AR - Memorial services for Sandra Smith, 85, of Benton, Arkansas will be held Friday, October 23, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. at First Baptist Church, Wichita Falls, Texas with Dr. Darryl Smith officiating. Visitation will be in the Sanctuary East the hour preceding the service.

Cremation is under the direction of Ashby Funeral Home, Benton, Arkansas.

Mrs. Smith was born January 15, 1935 in Jonesboro, Arkansas to the late Zelma (Dolen) and Frank A. Roberts and died Sunday, October 18, 2020 in Benton, Arkansas. The Roberts family moved to Memphis, Tennessee during World War II. She trusted Jesus as her Savior and Lord as a young girl and became a member of Union Ave. Baptist Church. As a young woman she was called to tell others about Jesus. She graduated from Central High School in 1953. After a year at Union University, she transferred to Baylor University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics in 1957.

Sandra took a job as a Home Demonstration Agent for the County Extension Agency in Midland, Texas. There she met Ray Smith on a blind date. The couple married in Memphis on December 30, 1957. After initially living in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, they moved to Kamay, Texas in the summer of 1958. All three of her children were born while there. In June of 1964 the family moved to Wichita Falls. Sandra and Ray became members of First Baptist Church in August of 1964. Sandra served in the church as a children's Sunday School teacher, International Friends volunteer and WMU leader. She was involved in missions beyond the church as a member of the state board of WMU, director of the Wichita Archer Clay Baptist Association WMU, counselor at GA camp, volunteer at Big A Club, Christian Women's Job Corps and the Pregnancy Help Center, and missions trip participant to Germany and the Northeast.

Sandra was a stay at home mom while her children were growing up. She later worked part-time for the National Opinion Research Center out of the University of Chicago. She enjoyed cooking, sewing, and hosting events at her home, especially backyard parties in the gazebo. She enjoyed traveling with and to family, including in the early years to Memphis in the summers, camping in Yellowstone, the Smokey Mountains, and Big Bend, lake trips to Possum Kingdom, snow skiing trips to Colorado and Disney World trips with the grandchildren. Later she and Ray traveled to China, France, Canada, Europe, Novia Scotia, the Baltic, Finland, Norway, Alaska, and the northeast.

In 2016 Sandra moved to the Little Rock area to be near her daughter, as the effects of her Alzheimer's Disease became more acute. Ray followed her there six months later. She was faithfully cared for by the staff of The Manor in Benton. For the last four years she was able to see Ray twice a day as at first he lived in his own house and then later resided in same facility with her. Ray passed away on June 28, 2020 after 63 years of marriage.

Survivors include her son and daughter-in-law, David and Loren Smith of Addison, Texas; daughter and son-in-law, Louanne and Dave Hughey of Alexander, AR; son and daughter-in-law, Darryl and Amy Smith of Huntington, Texas; 18 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister, JoAnn Childers of Kingsport, TN, and a sister-in-law, Louise Whitmire and her husband, Alan, of Wichita Falls, Texas and as well as many nieces and nephews.

Sandra was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her brother, Dick Roberts; two sisters, Mary Jane Twaddle and Sue Spencer; and daughter-in-law, Karen Smith.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be given to First Baptist Church of Wichita Falls Missions, the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, the Pregnancy Help Center or Faith Refuge Career Academy.