Edwin Earl “Eddie” Smith, age 68, a lifelong resident of Diboll, Texas, passed away on Monday, August 13, 2018. Eddie was born August 30, 1949 in Lufkin, Texas to Earl Columbus and Robbie Tull Smith.
He graduated from Diboll High School in 1967 and went on to attend Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches where he met Carolyn Anthony of Houston, Texas. Eddie and Carolyn were married on June 5, 1970 in Diboll. He spent the next 48 years by her side as a faithful husband and loving father.
Eddie was a loyal employee of Temple-Inland for 42 years, retiring in 2010 as Shipping Manager of the Diboll Fiberboard Plant. An avid hunter and fisherman, he was a long-time member of the Ryan’s Lake and Tower Hunting Clubs. He enjoyed spending many weekends catching his limit of catfish on Lake Sam Rayburn with any family and friends that would accompany him. He was also a member of Pine Valley Congregational Methodist Church, where he served as song leader for many years.
Survivors include his wife, Carolyn; sons and daughters-in-law, Willie and Julie Rogers Smith of Diboll and David and Shana Metteauer Smith of Kingwood; daughter and son-in-law, Amy and Will Arendt of Johns Creek, Georgia; 6 grandchildren who called him “Peepaw” – Sarah (Travis) Johnson of North Richland Hills, Texas, Hunter Smith of Diboll, Sophia and Brady Arendt of Johns Creek, Georgia, and Carter and Callie Smith of Kingwood; sister and brother-in-law, Ann and Bobby Brooks of Diboll; as well as many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.
Services to celebrate Eddie’s life will be held at 3:00 p.m. Thursday, August 16, 2018 in the Gipson Funeral Home Chapel, with Bro. Bobby Ryan officiating. Interment will follow in the Ryan Chapel Cemetery in Diboll.
Pallbearers will be Bryan Jackson, Brandon McCollum, J. C. Tobias, Richard Weeks, Jr., Allen Gesford, and Robert Proctor, Jr.
Honorary pallbearers will be Neal Brooks, Jeff Brooks, Arlis Havard, Jeremy Havard, Justin Havard, and the Temple-Inland Diboll Fiberboard Shipping team.
The family would like to thank the staff of Woodland Heights Medical Center, Trinity Mission Nursing Home, and Hospice in the Pines for the loving care provided to Eddie in the final weeks of his life.
Donations in memory of Eddie may be made to the American Diabetes Association or the American Heart Association.
The family will receive friends from 2:00 p.m. until service time on Thursday at the funeral home.
Condolences may be offered at www.gipsonfuneralhome.com.
Services have been placed in the trust of Gipson Funeral Home.
