Violet "Vi" Ruth Smith

Violet Ruth (Southwell) Smith was born on May 20, 1929, near Thomas, Oklahoma, the fifth child of Lloyd and Viola (Hayes) Southwell. The old four room farm house was full of love and family. Ultimately, the household was made up of her mother and father, Grandpa Hayes, and seven living siblings. First came the girls, Marie Viola, in 1918, Helen Mae in 1919, and Blanche Evelyn in 1921. Then a precious little boy, Earnest Hayes was stillborn in 1928. One year later, Violet Ruth arrived in 1929 followed by another brother, Kenneth Lloyd in 1931. Lillian Addie was born a year later in 1932, but only lived a few short months. Then came Robert Elmer in 1933 and the twins, Warren Fillmore and Wayne Thomas in 1934.

Violet told many stories about the family in the little four room farm house. Stories of sleeping on haylofts in the summer, of parents getting up early to start the fire in the winter to warm up the house, of Grandpa Hayes having one of the four rooms to himself. Memories of the boys slept upstairs in the winter so that the girls could be warmer nearer the fire on cold nights. About Valentine's Day in 1936 when a neighbor came to the school to get the children to go to the hospital in Thomas, OK where they were at the bedside as their father died. She was only six years old. And it was after that time that it was discovered that three of her brothers were deaf and would ultimately attend the school for the deaf in a place called Sulphur, OK.

After completing all 12 grades in the Custer City Consolidated Schools, Violet graduated from Senior High School in 1947. She then attended Bethany Nazarene College (now Southern Nazarene University) for one year. After taking the Oklahoma Merit System exam, Violet was hired by the Oklahoma County Department of Public Welfare. By this time, her mother had moved to Oklahoma City, OK as well and they were attending a church on Shields Boulevard. It was there that she met a young man that was introduced to Christ by Wanda Fulton (later Knox).

On April 6, 1951, Arthur D. Smith Jr. and Violet were married in the Shields (now South Pointe) Church of the Nazarene. Sensing a call to ministry, the couple moved to Collbran, CO to pastor the local Church of the Nazarene. In 1958 an opportunity to work at Nazarene Publishing House presented and they relocated to Kansas City, MO. Violet was one of the few who worked at Nazarene World Headquarters, Nazarene Theological Seminary, and Nazarene Publishing House, retiring from her last position in 1992.

Two children were born to their 63 year union, Beverly Ruth (1959) and Timothy David (1965) who were raised in Kansas City.

Once the nest was empty, further moves for jobs and church responsibilities took Arthur and Violet to Arkansas, and back to Oklahoma. Because of her love of figures and bookkeeping, Violet seemed to be drawn to churches who needed that type of help. In the ten churches she attended, she did treasurer’s work and other church-related bookkeeping in eight of them. Post retirement she worked for Walmart, Bentonville, AR, in the part-time payroll department and at Oklahoma University, Norman, OK, in the several departments as she was needed. She also did many other miscellaneous jobs using her bookkeeping talents. They returned their church membership to South Pointe in 2004.

In 2013, Arthur and Violet moved to Irving, TX to live with their daughter and son-in-law. The household quickly grew to four generations when their grand daughter and family arrived to help in caring for them. Arthur, passed away in November 2014 from complications caused by leukemia. Violet continued to manage her own checkbook and was relatively self-sufficient for the next four years. She enjoyed a few trips and hugs from the great grandchildren.

As she neared her 90th birthday, she began to experience more health challenges. Beverly told her often that she wasn't old until she was 90. For that birthday she received a shower of over 120 cards from family and friends. She read them many times and memory did not fail her in regard to each person's importance in her life. The messages also served to give her assurance that her life was full of meaning as those she cared about cared back.

Violet enjoyed doing many puzzles and spending time with family the last few months. She also enjoyed reading her Bible, Sunday papers, and doing puzzle books. She passed away peacefully on September 12, 2019, happy to see her Lord in Heaven and other family members. Her final resting place is near her beloved husband Art and son Tim. She gave her life to the service of God, and didn’t complain, no matter how humbling or gratifying the duties were that she was called to complete. May we serve her God in as faithful a manner, so that someday we will all gather together again in Heaven.

Violet was preceded in death by her husband, Arthur; son, Timothy David Smith; her parents; three sisters, Marie Tharp, Helen Roberts-Tharp, Blanche Dodson; two brothers, Kenneth L. Southwell and Wayne Southwell; and many other family members. She was survived by daughter, Beverly (Keith) Bateman, Irving, TX; brothers, Robert (Pearl) Southwell, Dover, FL and Warren (Dorothy) Southwell, Yukon, OK; grandchildren, Miranda (Corey) Dyer, Brownfield, TX, Jeff Hawkins, Kansas City, MO, Stephanie (Sean) Henderson, Irving, TX, Heather Bateman, Granger, IN and Paul Bateman, Charlotte, NC; and great-grandchildren, Akela, Amaeus, Jabez, Aksel, Ean, and Faith.

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Violet Ruth (Southwell) Smith passed away on September 12, 2019, in Irving, Texas. Born on May 20, 1929, near Thomas, Oklahoma, she was the fifth child of Lloyd and Viola (Hayes) Southwell.

After completing all 12 grades in the Custer City Consolidated Schools, Violet graduated from Senior High School in 1947. She then attended Bethany Nazarene College (now Southern Nazarene University) for one year. After taking the Oklahoma Merit System exam, Violet was hired by the Oklahoma County Department of Public Welfare.

On April 6, 1951, Arthur D. Smith Jr. and Violet were married in the Shields (now South Pointe) Church of the Nazarene. Two children were born to their 63 year union, Beverly and Timothy.

Numerous moves for jobs and church responsibilities took Arthur and Violet to Colorado, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, and back to Oklahoma. They returned their church membership to South Pointe in 2004.

Because of her love of figures and bookkeeping, Violet seemed to be drawn to churches who needed that type of help. In the ten churches she attended, she did treasurer’s work and other church-related bookkeeping in eight of them. Violet was one of the few who worked at Nazarene World Headquarters, Nazarene Theological Seminary, and Nazarene Publishing House, retiring from her last position in 1992.

Post retirement she worked for Walmart, Bentonville, AR, in the part-time payroll department and at Oklahoma University, Norman, OK, in the several departments as she was needed. She also did many other miscellaneous jobs using her bookkeeping talents.

Violet’s husband, Arthur, passed away in November 2014 from complications caused by leukemia. Also preceding her in death were her parents; son, Timothy David Smith; three sisters, Marie Tharp, Helen Roberts-Tharp, Blanche Dodson; two brothers, Kenneth L. Southwell and Wayne Southwell; and many other family members.

Surviving are daughter, Beverly (Keith) Bateman, Irving, TX; two brothers, Robert (Pearl) Southwell, Dover, FL; and Warren (Dorothy) Southwell, Yukon, OK; five grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Remembrances can be sent to Irving First Church of the Nazarene, 1725 N MacArthur Blvd, Irving, TX 75061 in support of the pastoral counseling ministry.