Judith Diane Smith

Judith "Jody" Diane Howington Smith, a daughter among daughters, a wife among wives, a mother among mothers and a friend of friends, went to sit beside her Lord and Maker on Jan. 7, 2013 at age 67. Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 11, at Parkview Baptist Church with Pastors John Collier and Chris Johnson officiating. Burial will follow at Moore Cemetery in Chalk Bluff. The family will receive visitors 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 10, at the Bellmead Funeral Home.

Jody was born the third day of February, 1945, in Gorman, Texas, the daughter of Howard L. and Dorothy L. (Kemp) Howington. She had one brother, Edward Chase Howington, and an uncle whom she thought of as a brother, Herman Howington. Jody attended high school in Sacramento, Calif., and was a lifelong student, attending four years at Whittier College in California, and countless continuing education hours. Every summer Jody would visit her aunt and uncle, Alyne and Freeman Northcutt, in Waco where she met the love of her life. On May 3, 1972, Jody was united in marriage to Derrell Dewayne Smith in Grandview, Mo.

Jody was the consummate educator and spent the majority of her working life in the classroom. She taught primarily early education, however nobody in her presence was immune to a lesson now and then. She taught drama and theater and always had a love for live performances. She felt a high calling from God to be a Christian influence to the students in her care, and as such she is fondly remembered by many of her former students. Jody worked as both a teacher and as a pre-school administrator, where she touched many lives.

Jody was a devout Christian in every sense of the word. Her life exemplified the role of the Christian woman, and anyone who knew her well, always knew her eyes were aimed at the heavens and her hands were held high to praise her Jesus. Even after loosing most of her eyesight to disease, Jody would have told you she lived by the promise of faith and not by sight. Jody was a long-time member of Parkview Baptist Church, where she retained numerous close relationships. Derrell and Jody moved their church membership to Chalk Bluff Baptist Church, to be closer to home, and there, a church family network abounded and flourished.

Jody was preceded in death by her father, Howard Lloyd Howington; her mother, Dorothy LaRue Howington; and her uncle, Herman Howington.

She is survived by her loving husband of nearly 41 years, Derrell Dewayne Smith; her two sons whom she loved more than anything, Chad Smith and wife, Gina, and Scott Smith and wife, Wendy; daughter, Robin Self and husband, Corey; and brother, Edward Howington and wife, Irene, of Paris, Texas. Jody is also notably survived by her longtime best friend who was as close as a sister, Carolyn Sue Watt of Lubbock. Jody was Nana to three grandchildren, Eric, Gracie and Lori, and almost one more, who didn't quite make it out in time to meet her Nana. Always an animal lover, her little lap pal, Daisy Rose, will miss her badly as well.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the preschool at Parkview Christian Academy/Texas Christian, care of Virginia Collier. This preschool was a labor of love for Jody and always near and dear to her heart.

Please sign the online guest book at www.bellmeadfuneralhome.com.

February 3, 1945 - January 7, 2013

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