Martha Louise Smith

Martha was born in Goose Creek, Texas on January 24, 1924, to Starrett Washington and Polly Cole Dobson. Martha attended Ashbel Smith Elementary School and Horace Mann Junior High prior to graduating from Robert E. Lee High School in 1940. She went on to attend Lee College.

As a woman who dedicated her life to helping others, Martha blessed the lives of many people as she shared beautiful displays through gardening and needlework creations. She was an avid reader and passed a love of books to her children and grandchildren.

Martha was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Baytown, where she taught Sunday School classes. After moving to Deer Park, Texas her membership was transferred to St. James Presbyterian Church in La Porte, Texas.

She is preceded in death by her two husbands, Robert Flynn Dial, Jr. and Harvard Joseph Smith; her brothers, Harold L. Dobson, M. D. and Jack T. Dobson, M. D.; and her son, Donald Gene Dial.

She is survived by her children, Polly Miller of Conroe, Nancy Sanders and husband Randall of Baytown; Herb Smith and wife Brie of Austin; Michael Smith and wife Michele of Colorado Springs, Colorado; Grandchildren, Sgt. Robert Starrett Miller and wife Kathy of California, Jill Sanders, M. D. of Little Rock, Arkansas, James Sanders of Austin, Texas, Christian and Michael Smith of Colorado; great-grandchild, Mason Miller of California; sisters-in-law, Yvonne Dobson of Canyon Lake, Texas, JoAnn Dobson of Little Rock, Arkansasand Charlcie Dial of Houston; brothers-in-law, James D. Smith and wife Shirley of Boerne, Texas, Bobby Barrow and wife Sally of Fredericksburg, Texas, and Donald Bruce Dial and wife Marie of Austin and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

Family visitation will be held on Monday, December 31, 2007 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Navarre Funeral Home. A memorial service will follow at 11:00 a.m. officiated by Rev. Mary Currie. Burial will follow at Memory Gardens Cemetery.

For those desiring, memorial contributions in Martha’s name may be made to the American Diabetes Association, 2400 Augusta Drive, Suite 175, Houston, TX 77057-4989.

Arrangements are under the direction of Navarre Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Baytown, 2444 Rollingbrook Dr., Baytown, TX 77521, (281) 422-8111.