Mamie Smith Medlin

Mamie Margaret Smith Medlin, of Houston, passed away on Tuesday, the 13th of January after a long battle with congestive heart failure and associated chronic kidney disease. She was born on the 17th of July 1932 in Centreville, Mississippi to Rose Sorensen Smith and Fred Charles Smith. She was the youngest of seven children.

Mamie attended school in Centreville and then in McComb, Mississippi when her family relocated there. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis in 1954. While studying there she met and fell in love with a medical student, Vernon Leon Medlin. They were married in Memphis, also in 1954. During Vernon’s post-graduate work and service in the Air Force Mamie worked at El Paso General Hospital, and taught nursing at the Gilfoy School of Nursing in Jackson, Mississippi.

In 1961 Mamie, Vernon and their two young sons moved from Jackson to Corpus Christi, Texas where Vernon joined a Radiology/Radiation Therapy partnership after completing his medical training. The couple then welcomed their third son in 1964. In addition to supporting her husband’s medical career and lovingly raising her three sons Mamie was active in the Nueces County Medical Society Auxiliary/Alliance, the Womens Auxiliary of Spohn Hospital, the Junior League of Corpus Christi, the Spohn Hospital Hospice Program, and First Baptist Church of Corpus Christi. Mamie was a member of First Baptist for 60 years before moving to Houston in 2021. At First Baptist Corpus Christi she served for many years as the coordinator of the Community Bible Study Program and as a volunteer in a First Baptist ministry supporting low-income mothers and their children. She also taught Sunday school, served in the prayer room ministry, and volunteered at the church food bank. Mamie loved the Lord, her family, her church, and studying the Bible. She enjoyed playing mahjong, was an avid gardener, a gracious hostess, and a talented cook of both gourmet meals and Southern favorites.

Mamie is preceded in death by her husband Vernon, as well as her four sisters and two brothers. She is survived by her sons Mark Vernon Medlin (William) of Seattle, David Christopher Medlin of Houston, Andrew Joseph Medlin (Tina) also of Houston, and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service is to be conducted at eleven o’clock in the morning on Saturday, the 21st of March, in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston. Immediately following, all are invited to join the family during a reception in the adjacent grand foyer.

In lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions may be directed to The American Heart Association, the American Kidney Fund, or Doctors Without Borders, or by simply selecting the link below under "Donations"