Roll Call Tribute

Advantage Funeral and Cremation Services obituary
7010 Chetwood · Houston, TX 77081
713-662-2030

DOUGLAS SMITH

October 24, 1926 - November 28, 2017

Visitation
Sunday, December 03, 2017 | 1:15 pm - 1:30 pm
Advantage Funeral and Cremation Services
7010 Chetwood, Houston, TX 77081 | (713) 662-2030

Funeral Service
Sunday, December 03, 2017 | 1:30 pm - 2:45 pm
Advantage Funeral and Cremation Services
7010 Chetwood, Houston, TX 77081 | (713) 662-2030

Graveside Service
Monday, December 04, 2017 | 1:00 pm - 1:40 pm
Oaklawn Cemetery
County Rd. 422, Somerville, TX 77879

Obituary of-

In Memoria:

DOUGLAS SMITH

October 24, 1926 – November 28, 2017

It is with sadness in our hearts that we lay our loving father, grandfather and great grandfather to rest. Born in Caldwell, Texas, on October 24, 1926, Douglas was blessed to have lived 91 years, 4 weeks and 1 day. For more than 68 years he shared life with his loving wife, Mary Louise McLean Smith, who came to the marriage with her 6-year old daughter, Mary Patricia. They were married in Crockett, Texas, on September 29, 1949, a day of celebration shared by both families. Upon moving to Houston and settling in West University, they added two more girls to the family, Rebecca and Martha.

Douglas, known by family as Granddaddy, is survived by his wife Mary Louise and three daughters, Rebecca Lynn Gonzalez who now lives in Abilene, Martha Gayle Bowen who resides in Houston, and Patriciann Thompson who resides in the Brenham/Burton area. He was proud of his seven grandchildren who are Jill Thompson Landry, Cori Thompson Kmiec, her husband Travis, Benjamin Gonzalez and wife Chelsea, Jacob Gonzalez, Clay Bowen and wife Stephanie, Cameron Bowen and wife Rachel, Summer Bowen Warren and husband Clayton. His three precious great grandchildren are Chase Evan Landry, Colt Daniel Kmiec and Jace Bowen. He is also survived by his sister Patsy Ruth Smith Willis and brother Robert (Bobby) Floyd Smith, both of Caldwell, son-in-law Greg Thompson of Brenham/Burton, and numerous nieces and nephews.

As World War II progressed, he was called to duty and drafted into the U.S. Navy where he trained in California as a hospital corpsman. As the war was winding down, he was able to return to college. Douglas was a Texas Aggie through-and-through where he was a proud member of the Corp. He loved Aggie football and attended many football games and reunions over the years which allowed him to keep in touch with several Aggie classmates. His life's passion was wild game hunting-particularly elk, deer, water fowl and quail-he looked forward to hunting season every year and first and foremost enjoyed the comradery and friendships of other hunters at leases in South Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado. His favorite trips were in the mountains by horseback-camping out, cooking on the trail, telling hunting stories (tall & small) about the days' hunt, loving the scenery, watching the wildlife, and bringing home the welcomed meat and occasional trophy. He was a member of the National Rifle Association (NRA) and a founding member of the NRA Whittington Center in New Mexico. An additional favorite was visiting family at their horse farm out of Brenham that included riding quarter horses through beautiful hills of wild flowers, especially bluebonnets, and his favorite bird-hunting dog, Bubba.

Upon graduating from Texas A&M in 1947, Doug spent his business career with Gulf Oil, eventually Chevron, for 35 years. He retired in 1985 to enjoy a life of traveling with family throughout America. For many years Doug and Mary Louise frequently took more than one road trip a year across the U.S. to sightsee the country's national parks and scenic drives from east coast to west coast. Grandchildren were often included for camping trips and ski trips in northern New Mexico, mountain drives throughout Colorado, Disneyland, the Grand Canyon, Carlsbad Cavern, and sightseeing trips to Yellowstone and beyond.

Douglas lived a Christian life as a member of Gethsemane Methodist Church in Houston. He was a kind, gentle and faithful man all his many years who always held his immediate and extended family and friends close to his heart. He had an incredible recall ability of facts, figures, past events, family histories, and especially names of persons he knew long ago. If anyone needed a name, a date, details about a long lost relative or acquaintance, or an historical fact, they knew to call Granddaddy. Douglas was preceded in death by his mother Annie Cecilia Blazek Smith, his father Cecil Smith, and sister Gwendolyn Smith Gray. His family will always miss his jovial personality and quick wit, and are grateful for our time with him on this precious earth and pray we will indeed join him one day in paradise.

~~~ A gathering of family and friends will take place Sunday, December 3rd at 1:30 pm at Advantage Funeral Home located at 7010 Chetwood, Bellaire, TX. The graveside gathering will take place on Monday, December 4th at 1:30 pm at the cemetery in Somerville, TX. ~~~