Elizabeth Gant Betty Smith

Elizabeth "Betty" Gant Smith, also known as Mom, Mother, Grammy and Aunt Betty, moved to the next phase of life in Heaven on Friday, February 12, 2016, joining her husband of almost 52 years, Dr. Frosty Smith ("Poppy"), in the great reunion with Jesus Christ.

Grammy was born in Franklin, Tennessee on April 22, 1931, to Mac and Elizabeth Gant, losing her birth mother at age 3 and gaining a new mother a few years later, Alexine Speier Gant. She attended Ward Belmont and she and all her siblings, Mac Gant Jr., Ned Gant, John Grimes and Anne Grimes Eberle, attended Vanderbilt University, where she was President of Pi Phi and graduated with a degree in Biology. After college she moved to Philadelphia to do research at Old Pennsylvania Hospital, where she met and fell in lifelong love with Frosty, a med student at Penn. With her marriage to Frosty, she inherited four other siblings/friends: Paul and Anne Smith, and David and Charis Smith, and numerous nephews, nieces and greats.

Grammy was proud of her dual Texas-Tennessee heritage, and managed (intentionally) to never lose her southern accent while living in San Antonio for almost 60 years. She lived life on her own terms, which meant always having time for a long conversation with you, and always being there to help you whenever needed. She loved her family unconditionally, but she loved God most.

For over 50 years, her home at 101 Gatewood Court was open to generations of neighborhood kids, and until the end of her life on earth she was still hosting overnight visitors, dinner parties, Bible studies, missionaries, and friends from all parts. She also dearly loved serving as study leader for Circle 2/4 at First Presbyterian Church, and almost every year would drive her Bible study members to spend the day at Live Oak Ranch.

Her second family was the First Presbyterian Choir, in which she was an active member and librarian for over 30 years; her membership in choirs from Tennessee to San Antonio spanned over 70 years. She was the Smith family soloist, and with the accompaniment of a piano, and sometimes a capella, she sang O Holy Night after Christmas Eve dinner every year.

Grammy also enthusiastically participated in the Battle of Flowers Association and Le Club, and events and organizations benefitting youth, including San Antonio Youth for Christ, the Nicky Cruz Crusade, the John Guest Crusade, and numerous drug awareness programs in schools.

Her baking skills were legendary - Amish Friendship Bread, Sand Tarts, English Toffee, Oatmeal Cake and 120 dozen cookies of many varieties, faithfully baked and delivered to friends and family every Christmas in her Buick Roadmaster.

After Christ, Grammy's and Poppy's highest priority was family, having an enduring devotion to their children and children-in-law: Forrest (III) and Cathy R. Smith, Madison and Cathy O. Smith, Alexine and Peter Graves, and Harriet and Mike Fanning; grandchildren and grandchildren-in-law: Whitney (Smith) and Adam Laird, Hallie Graves, Drew and Cassie Smith, Forrest Smith IV, Peter (Jr.) and Carmen Graves, Sydney (Smith) and Jake Aschbacher, Sam and Jordan Graves, Julia (Fanning) and Sean DelBeccaro, Claire (Smith) and Glen Thompson, Emma Graves and Michael Fanning III; and two great grandchildren: Wills Laird and Ellis Graves. Grammy's nine grandsons and grandsons-in-law will honor her by serving as pallbearers.

Her transition to Heaven will be celebrated on Sunday, February 21, 2016, with a graveside service at Sunset Memorial Park in San Antonio at 1:30pm, followed by a memorial service celebrating her life at 3:00pm at First Presbyterian Church, 404 N. Alamo Street, with The Reverend Dr. Ron Scates officiating. Visitation will follow in the church Fellowship Hall.

We will miss Grammy, but will also continue to celebrate her extraordinary life as a Christian - well lived, a job well done, truly a good and faithful servant! Grammy has answered the roll call in Heaven, and is now enjoying a joyous reunion there with Frosty and other saints who have preceded her.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Betty Smith's memory may be sent to The Cathy Rain Smith Inflammatory Breast Cancer Fund at MD Anderson Cancer Center (Attn: Susan S. Nutt, [email protected], PO Box 4486, Houston Texas 77210), San Antonio Youth for Christ, the First Presbyterian Church Choir, or a charity of your choice.