Laura Rosemary Heath Smith

LAURA NEY ROSEMARY HEATH SMITH, age 77, of Houston, joined her Lord and Savior on Sunday, the 2nd of February 2013. She was born on the 8th of November 1935, in El Paso, to Wayne Edward Heath and Leah Ney Gibson McDaniel Heath.

Laura spent most of her growing-up years in San Antonio where she attended Woodlawn Hills Elementary and graduated from Jefferson High School in 1953, where she played the clarinet in the marching band.

She attended and graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a BA in Fine Arts in 1958. Upon graduation, Laura began her career as a commercial artist.

Laura met her husband, Daniel Lester Smith, while attending UT and married on the 7th of March 1960.They were married for 53 years.

She was a member of Alpha Gamma Delta sorority, Heather & Thistle Society, Clan Donald Society, Houston Geological Auxiliary, a lifetime member of the Texas Exes Association, and the founder and past president of The Houston Highland Games Association.

She was a devout Christian and shared the gospel with everyone she met. Hence, she never met a stranger. Laura was a long-time member of Sharpstown Baptist Church and began attending Tallowood Baptist Church later in life.

A generous and kind-hearted lady, Laura was confident in her convictions, a trait she definitely passed on to her children. It was one of her best qualities.

She was a talented artist, fabulous designer, and accomplished seamstress, making purses, designing dresses and costumes for her children and their friends’ weddings, school dance teams and more.

Active in the Scottish community, Laura was a life-long participant in, and had a true passion for, all things Scottish. Whether it was Scottish history, Scottish highland dancing or bagpipes, Laura knew it all too well; a love she passed on to her children and grandchildren.

Her family lineage meant a great deal to her. Since genealogy was a hobby, she traced her lineage back to the Isle of Skye and Armadale Castle from which her Clan Donald ancestors came.

Laura loved books and was an avid reader. From Agatha Christie to John Hagee to the American frontier, not a day went by when she was not reading something. Because of this, she was a great source of the most trivial of information, which allowed her to finish the daily crossword puzzle in record time. Her Highlander Magazine collection, books about American history, more books on Scottish history and countless other books are the envy of any historian.

Very active in her grandchildren’s lives, Laura was their greatest fan. She was the glue that held her family together, event coordinator extraordinaire. She will be greatly missed.

Her family envisioned she was welcomed into Heaven with Heaven’s largest bagpipe band and greeted by her granddaughter, Hailey.

Laura is preceded in death by her parents, Wayne and Leah Heath; brother, James Edward Heath; and grandaughter, Hailey Kathleen Bunch. She is survived by her husband, Daniel Lester Smith; children, James Raymond Smith, Rosemary Smith Bunch, and husband Mark, Heather Smith Vacker, and Laura Leanne, and husband Rick Davis; grandchildren, Petty Officer Third Class Austin Rogers Heath, and wife Heather Smith, Courtney Alaine Vacker, John Daniel Bunch, Laura Victoria Bunch, Ian Jackson Davis and Heath Andrew Davis; great-granddaughter, Kaydin Nicole Smith, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. She was a “mom” and “grandmommy” to many others.

Laura is also survived by her long-time companion and caregiver, Carmen. The family would like to thank Carmen for all the love and support she provided for so many years.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from five o’clock this afternoon until eight o’clock this evening, Sunday, the 10th of February, in the parlor and grand foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

An interment service is to be conducted at half-past nine o’clock in the morning on Monday, the 11th of February, at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery, 6900 Lawndale Avenue in Houston. A uniformed steward from Geo. H. Lewis & Sons is to be positioned at the cemetery entrance so as to direct guests to the interment site.

The memorial service is to follow, at eleven o’clock in the morning, also on Monday, the 11th of February, at Tallowood Baptist Church, 555 Tallowood Drive in Houston, where Rev. Larry Bertrand, Associate Pastor, is to officiate.

Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception to be held at the adjacent chapel reception hall.

In lieu of customary remembrances, and for those desiring, memorial contributions may be directed to the Houston Highland Games Association, P.O. Box 66, Bellaire, TX, 77402-0066.