Vickie J. Smith

Long time and beloved English teacher at Abilene Christian University, Vickie Jan Smith of Abilene, was called home by her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Saturday, February 5, 2011, after a brief battle with cancer. A Celebration of Life spent in service will be officiated by Dr. Tony Roach of Minda Street Church of Christ at Hillcrest Church of Christ, 650 Ambler Avenue, in Abilene on Thursday, February 10, 2011, beginning at 1 p.m. Interment will follow at Elliott-Hamil Garden of Memories Cemetery, 5701 Hwy 277 South. A Song Service visitation conducted by the Minda Street Church of Christ chorus will be Wednesday, February 9 from 6-7 p.m. at Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home, 542 Hickory Street, Abilene.

Born May 3, 1948 to James T. Smith and Vila Rae Sargent Smith, Vickie attended Midwestern State University where she served as president of the Church of Christ Bible Chair student organization and participated in a summer-long mission trip with Project Germany ’69. Earning a bachelor’s degree in 1972, she worked in various management capacities with the JC Penney Company in Lubbock, Amarillo, and Abilene for 16 years. At age 40, she chose to change careers by earning a master’s degree from Abilene Christian University and teaching fulltime in the English Department at ACU, from 1995 until the present.

Vickie developed a passion for teaching, active learning, faith in learning, and guiding her students to make spiritual connections with literature and to become critical thinkers and expressive writers. She was known among her students as a challenging but straight forward, dedicated and inspiring teacher and spiritual mentor who pushed her students to attain more than they expected of themselves.

Vickie has been an active, faith-filled member of Minda Street Church of Christ since 1987, embracing the multi-cultural fellowship unique to Minda in this city. She was ready always to share her faith in the faithfulness of God and the Lordship of Jesus with all. It can truly be said that she lived her life for God and rejoiced in the steadfast love of the Lord. “Precious in God’s sight is the death of His saints”, Psalm 116:15.

Vickie is survived by her mother, Vi Porterfield of Uvalde, Texas, her aunt and uncle, Claude and Frances Thompson of Uvalde, her cousin Greg Thompson of Pflugerville, her lifelong sister in Christ Denise Emery, many nieces and nephews of her heart from Minda Street, and many loving brothers and sisters in Christ, especially at Minda Street Church of Christ.

Memorials may be made to Minda Street Church of Christ building fund at 701 Minda Street, Abilene, TX 79602 or to Hendrick Hospice Care at P.O. Box 1922, Abilene, TX 79604