Carolyn Kay (Stephens) Smith

Carolyn Stephens Smith was called home to be with our Lord and Savior on July 3, 2023, at the age of 82. A celebration of life service will be held Saturday July 8, 2023, at 10:00am with visitation on Friday July 7, 2023, 6:00 – 8:00 at Laurel Land Funeral home. She was born, Carolyn Kay, in her grandmother’s home in DeLeon Texas. After starting school in DeLeon Texas her family moved to Abilene where she graduated from Abilene High School. At her youth she was involved with her church, family and school. She was surrounded by many special cousins. She loved playing the clarinet in the band, including being a Majorette alongside a couple of those cousins. She was named Miss Abilene before leaving for Hardin-Simmons University where she met her husband. She also spent a short period of time at Draughn’s School of Business.

Later, after marrying, she moved to Fort Worth to raise her family. As an executive secretary in the petroleum industry and a member of Desk and Derrick, she loved what she did and the people she worked with. Outside of work, she was a member of Southwest Christian Church and Good Sam Travel Club. She loved her RV camping but when she didn’t have the kids on the campgrounds, she had them at the YMCA every summer. As she became a grandmother, she created special bonds with each of them. From teaching the girls to “be a lady” to being the first to hold a grandson. She loved all her 12 grandkids and 20 great grandkids. One of their special games was “Hide the Sheep” versus Elf on the Shelve that continued until just recently.

Carolyn was an inspiration to anyone who knew her and the difficulties she endured. Surviving breast cancer and a neurological disorder, she was a strong, independent, and passionate person. Carolyn loved studying her bible, cooking, a proud Fifth generation Texan with a love for Texas history and wildflowers. She had an obsession for plants that was almost unmatched by her love for the Dallas Cowboys and TCU Horn Frogs. These passions spilled over into her kids and grandkids. She was known as Mom, Grandma, Grams.

She is preceded in death by her father, Donald Wayne Stephens Sr.; Mother, Lois Ruth Upshaw Stephens; sister Nancy Jo Stephens; brother Donald Wayne Stephens Jr; son’s David Allen Smith, Kyle Stephen Smith, Kelly Wayne Smith; daughter Elizabeth Kay Shahin; grandson Amir Marwan Shahin; great granddaughter, Ava Garcia.

Carolyn is survived by a brother, Kenneth R. Stephens with wife Susan Stephens; son, Tim Smith with wife Lesa Smith, daughter, Amy Jo Lilly with husband Billy H. Lilly, and son, Gregory H. Smith with wife Andy Smith. Grandkids: Lealah Shahin, Shakeilah Shahin, Hakeem Shahin, Amirah Shahin, Rebecca Mollohan, Scott Smith, Heather Granados, Daniel Green, Chris Smith, Gabriel Harman, Ezekiel Harman