Good-bye Daddy

Meet...my dad!!

Stephan Arthur Smith went to be with his Lord and Savior in the early hours of January 8th, 2010 .at the age of 66. He courageously endured a year long battle with cancer.

He was born in Chicago, Illinois and was the son of Floyd and Maxine Dody Smith. His family moved to Grandprairie, Texas when he was in grade school. He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Sandra, and a baby son, Stephen Jr..

 Stephen is survived by his beloved fiance of 23 years, Nancy Vire,

by his four daughters,   (Pictured with my dear step-mom, Mary. Donna not pictured in first photo--Heather not pictured in second photo.)

Donna Rodgers and husband, Tim, of Willis, Tx., Lisa Aardmas and husband, Herman, of Glenwood Springs, Co., Trisha Tushim and Paul Vaughn of Campbell, Tx. and Heather Taylor and husband, George Stonequist of Denton, Tx, and by his brother, Terry Smith and wife Phyllis and their children, Debbie and Steve of Brownsburg, Indiana.

He was also survived by Donna C.(Wood) Yorke and Mary E. (Whisenant) Smith of previous marriages.

He was a doting Grandpa and is survived by 13 grandchildren, Donna's children, Matthew, Andrew, Rebekah, Jacob, and Christian, Lisa's children, Amanda,Jennifer, Crystal, Laura, and April and Trisha's children, Kimberly, Samuel, and Makayla Tushim and by five great grandchildren, Colin, Brenan, Nikolai Stephen(due Feb.5), James and Lena. 

He was also dearly loved and will be greatly missed by Nancy's family who have also call him Dad and Grandpa for many years. He is survived by her children, Marty and Mary Vire and their children, Katy, Mike, Angela and Jenny,great-grandchild, Johnny as well as, David and Judy Vire, and children Erin, Larry, and Kristen

.

My dad graduated from Grand Prairie High school in 1961, and studied at Southwest Baptist Seminary. He was a faithful employee of Bell Helicopter Textroni n Arlington, Texas for over 40 years as an inspector and retired in 2006.

He was a gifted artist who spent much of his spare time painting and sculpting, and doing calligraphy, gold leaf writing.He was an avid urban homesteader who loved raising livestock and enjoyed riding horses. He had many hobbies and interests. He loved camping,fishing, gardening, bonsai, raising fish in his huge tank,horticulture, geneology, computer technology and psychology. He thoroughly enjoyed exploring his Scottish heritage, learning to cook Scottish dishes and regularly attended the Texas Scottish Festival  and Games and the Greek food festivals held in Arlington each year.

Dad was a loving son and brother--faithfully and lovingly caring for his mother and his mentally ill sister for many years until their deaths.

He was also a faithful and much loved member of St. Andrews Episcopal church serving on the Vestry and as Junior Warden for many years.

He enjoyed supervising their acolytes and was very active with Nancy, serving aspack committee members of the St. Andrew's Boy Scout Pack No. 503.He generously supported the Easter Seals, the Disabled American Veterans and especially the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.We will all miss his funloving sense of humor, his grin, and the twinkle in his eye as het eased us. But we are also glad that he is now out of pain, happy andat peace with His Lord.

Love,

Donna