Mary Frances Smith

Freedom Hospice in Plano, TX. She passed away peacefully with family at her side.

She was a longtime member of Belaire Baptist Church, Louisiana Retired Teachers Association,

and the Shreveport Chapter NSDAR serving in various capacities at both the state and chapter

level. Some of her favorite projects were setting up Constitution Week displays in local libraries

and spending time volunteering at the VA Hospital in Shreveport. One of Fran's hobbies was

genealogy. She traced her ancestry back through the American Revolution on both her mother

and father's sides. She researched and found many records for her family and friends.

Education was very important to Fran, as a young bride, she wanted to complete high school and

successfully petitioned to do so, becoming the first married person in the state of Mississippi to

graduate from High School. She followed up on that determination with two Masters' degrees,

one in Counseling and one in English, never in her life making less than an A in any class. She

taught elementary school at Plattsburgh AFB, New York, and both GED and College-level

English courses to airmen through LSU at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana.

She is preceded in death by her husband, her childhood sweetheart, CMSgt (Ret.) George Bennie

Smith; parents, George Thomas Petrie and Maggie Lou (Parker) and one brother, Rev. Danny

Petrie. Left to cherish her memory are her son, George Michael Smith and wife, Rennie of

Bossier City, Louisiana; daughter Gwendolyn Kay (Smith) Princehouse and her husband, Henry N.

Princehouse III; grandchildren Henry N. Princehouse IV and Jennifer Lynn Princehouse all of

Plano, Texas; her brothers Bobby Petrie and wife Millicent (Johnson) (dec) of Bartlesville, Oklahoma; Bill

Petrie and wife Roana (Anderson) of White Hall, Arkansas; Dr. Charlie Petrie and wife Sarah (Crews)

of Bushnell, Florida; Teddy Petrie; sister Melba (Petrie) Brackin of Beebe, Arkansas; sister-in-law Bettie

(Brown) of Rogers, Arkansas and many nephews, nieces, great-nephews and great-nieces.

The family will be receiving guests for visitations on Sunday, October 12, 2025, in the Hill Crest

Chapel from 9:00 A.M. until time of service at 10:00 A.M..

The family wishes to express thanks to all the neighbors, family, friends and caregivers who

helped her and loved her. A special thank you to Avon Park Homes, especially Margaret.

The family suggests memorials may be made to the charity of your choice.