Frances Marie Smith

Frances Marie Berry Smith was born on June 4, 1925, and she passed away on May 3, 2013. She was preceded in death by Jack, her husband of fifty-nine years; her parents Albert and Maudie Berry; her brothers Elton, Aubrey, and Melvin, and her sister Joan. She is survived by her son Larry and his wife Kathy and daughters Shannon and Kimberly; her son Mark and his wife Leeanne and sons Trenton and Conner. She is also survived by her sister Dorothy, her sister-in-law Celestine and many nieces and nephews. Frances was born in Fruitvale, Texas and raised in nearby Edgewood. She was a member of the Edgewood High School softball team as the "hind-catcher." After she graduated in 1942, Frances attended North Texas State Teacher's College and moved to Dallas. She joined the many women stepping into the workforce to support the war effort by working at North American. During this time, she met her lifelong friend and future sister-in-law Celestine Berry. After the war, she met her future husband, Jack, at a party welcoming him home from World War II. He was wearing a leather bomber jacket paired with sun-bleached hair that made her go weak at the knees. She married the love of her life on February 2, 1948. Soon after, she gave birth to her sons. Jack and Frances settled into life in De Soto, Texas. After raising their two boys, she embarked upon a successful career at the First National Bank of Dallas. She was a faithful member of Hampton Road Baptist Church. She attended Sunday school each week, and treasured her women's group that gathered for lunch each Sunday. Frances believed in prayer, Braum's chocolate shakes, the Dallas Mavericks, iced tea, "Everybody Loves Raymond," and the love of her family. She will be sorely missed. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Special Olympics or Boy's Town. Visitation will take place at West-Hurtt on Sunday, May 5 from 3:00 to 5:00 PM. Services will be held at Hampton Road Baptist Church, 400 N. Hampton Rd. in De Soto, Texas 75115 at 10 am on Monday, May 6. Interment will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery in Edgewood, Texas at 2:30 pm.