John Henry Smith III

John Henry Smith III (fondly known as “Pudgy”) passed away on Friday, August 4th, 2023, due to complications from cancer. He was born in Portland, Maine on August 10th, 1944, to John Henry Smith II and Gertrude Larrivee.

He graduated from Gorham High school, in Gorham Maine with the one goal in mind, and that was to succeed. While attending Gorham High School, he was voted Best All Round, and he participated in several school activities such as student council, dramatics club, basketball, baseball, and pep squad, just to name a few.

Upon graduating from high school, John moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado to be closer to his father, and that is where he met his wife, Julia Sollers.

John and Julia were married on September 14th, 1963, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where they raised two children, Michael, and Deanna.

He worked extremely hard all his life to provide for his family and began working as a butcher and meat market manager for several food chains in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Santa Fe, and Albuquerque, New Mexico, before moving to San Antonio, Texas. Here, John and Julia started their own grocery store, which John considered one of his greatest accomplishments. He then moved to Houston, Texas where he began a career as a fresh food broker for Landlock Seafood Company, as well as Seafood Wholesalers, and Maher Marketing, where he later retired. While working for these companies, John prided himself with providing his knowledge and training to many meat and seafood employees.

John enjoyed watching and playing golf, fishing, walking his puppies, Maxwell, and Sophie, and most importantly spending time with his family, and with good friends John made along the way.

John is survived by his wife Julia, whom he was married to for 60 years, along with his son Michael A. Smith, and his daughter, Deanna L. Halbert (Tony). He is survived by his grandchildren, Justin T. Smith, Ashley E. Henry (Zachary), & Nicholas A. Halbert, and by his great grandchild, Lincoln A. Henry.

John is also survived by his brothers, David E. Smith, (Susan) Stephen L. Parker (Sheila), Chris A. Parker (Christine), sister, Kim J. Stewart (Lee), sister-in-law, Allison B. Parker, and several nieces, and nephews that loved him dearly.

John is preceded in death by his father, John Henry Smith II, his mother, Gertrude Larrivee Smith-Parker, his father-in-law Willard H. Sollers, his mother-in-law Lucille H. Sollers, as well as beloved aunts and uncles who all meant the world to John.

A memorial service for John will be held Tuesday, August 29, 2023 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Forest Park The Woodlands Funeral Home & Cemetery, 18000 Interstate 45 S, The Woodlands, TX 77384, followed by a reception from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.forestparkthewoodlands.com for the Smith family.