• Smith
    Mrs. Smith

Smith

On Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020, Violet Maxine Smith, 92 and beloved mother of two children, Pam, and Wade, closed her eyes for the last time here on earth and opened her eyes in heaven.

Violet was known to all as Mickey, a nickname given to her by her father.

Mickey was born on July 31, 1928, in Athens to Roy and Cora Belle Tanner.

She and her family moved to Palestine where she graduated high school in 1945.

On April 29, 1953, she married Wade L. Smith Jr. They moved to Rockdale in 1954 where they raised their two children, Pam and Wade.

Mickey worked many years in Rockdale as a Merle Norman beauty consultant and as the front desk clerk at the Kountry Inn Motel.

Mickey moved to Temple in 2006 where she lived in her home on North Seventh Street until November 2017, when she moved to Mercy House, a memory care facility in Temple.

The staff of Mercy House loved her like a member of their own family and took wonderful care of her until her death.

Mickey had a passion for gardening and watching the birds and squirrels in her back yard. She loved watching and feeding the birds and observing the squirrels steal food from the bird feeders. She especially loved and was so proud of the beautiful flowers in her landscape.

She had an infectious smile and was known to all for her playful attitude and generous, kind, and compassionate spirit.

Mickey was preceded in death by her husband Wade with whom she was married for 52 years until his death in 2006.

She was also preceded in death by her parents, Roy and Cora Belle Tanner; her sister, Martha; and brothers Don and Harold.

She is survived by her daughter, Pam Carder, along with husband Randy and sons Ben, Aaron and his wife Meaghan.

She is also survived by her son, Wade, and his son, Garrett, daughter Kaylee Seale, along with husband Southern and children Sofia and Southern.

A private graveside service was held in the afternoon on Monday, Dec. 28, 2020.

Phillips & Luckey Funeral Directors of Rockdale were in charge of the internment. Rev. Gary Baxley, chaplain of the Amedisys Hospice Service, presided at the graveside service.

Arrangements by Phillips & Luckey Funeral Home, P.O. Drawer 1417, Rockdale, TX 76567, 512-446-5454.

Rockdale Reporter

221 E. Cameron Ave
Rockdale, TX 76567
512-446-5838