Jeanne T. Smith

Jeanne T. Smith née Thompson was born on October 8, 1923 in San Antonio, Texas at home on Quincy Street to Dora Mae Johnston Thompson and Robert Rankin Thompson. Her grandparents were Thomas Jefferson Thompson and Mollie Thompson née Rankin and William E Johnston and Roxie Johnston née Morris who were all of Snyder, Texas.

At an early age she moved to 732 W Hildebrand where the north side of the road was farmland. She initially attended Ursuline Academy because of their after school program while her mother worked at the Robert E Lee Hotel as a switchboard operator. By third grade she attended Agnes Cotton Elementary School which she walked to on dirt roads. She attended Mark Twain Middle School and graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1940. She was a member of the marching band and participated in the Fiesta Parade. She graduated from Incarnate Word College in 1944 and worked in the downtown Medical Arts Building as a medical technician as her home front contribution to the World War II war effort as a member of The Greatest Generation..

In 1946 she married Lieutenant Benjamin F. Smith who flew B-17’s in World War II in England for the 390th Bomb Group. His assignments took them to Tokyo, Japan as part of the post war occupation force. Other notable assignments included Wright- Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, Chateauroux Air Station in France, Texas A&M, Kelly Air Force Base while husband LTC Ben Smith was Director of Flight Operations in 1967 at the Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base and flew C-47 cargo aircraft for the 355th Combat Support Group including 27 missions to South Vietnam, Air Force recruiting in Minneapolis and a final assignment at Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio where they retired in 1972 after his 30 years of USAF service as a veteran of World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.

Jeanne was a dedicated housewife and mother to six children survived by children Judith E. Smith (David King) of Austin, Tx, Dr. Patrick R. Smith, DDS (Susan) of St Cloud, Mn, Gerald F. Smith of Tempe, Az, Michael J. Smith of San Antonio, Philip A. Smith of College Station, Tx and Kathleen J. Smith of San Antonio. She had seven grandchildren Kirsten Koffarnus (Scott), Patrick Smith (Alyssa), Thomas Smith, Jeremy Smith (Lindsey), Kyle Smith, Geoffrey Robinson {Katy), Stephen King, and eight great grandchildren.

Jeanne’s avocations included cooking, baking and sewing, cheering for the Spurs and enjoying her many dogs. She was a dedicated volunteer in San Antonio for many decades at Lackland’s Wilford Hall Hospital, the Randolph Air Force Base Hospital, at the main San Antonio Library Genealogy Department, and at the St Anthony de Padua Catholic Church. Jeanne was a member of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. She was a direct descendent of Robert Rankin who is the only officer of the American Revolutionary War who died in Texas. Rankin was also involved in the Texas Revolution. He was a friend of Sam Houston and his influence with the Indians in the region was well known. Houston reputedly called upon him in the spring of 1836 to encourage neutrality among the Indians during the crucial Texan retreat toward San Jacinto. Rankin is buried at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin and is honored every year on Memorial Day.

Jeanne passed suddenly and unexpectedly in her home on December 4, 2025. She lived til 102 due to the care and dedication of her daughter Kathleen, grandson Geoffrey and his wife Katy and their daughter Elanor Jeanne.

Special thanks goes out to Patricia Showers of Remarkable Hospice and caregivers including Alicia Garcia, Cindy Roper and Gloria Rios who insured that Jeanne received proper and loving care.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated on December 22nd at 10:30 at St. Anthony de Padua. Services are provided by Porter Loring Mortuary West. Interment of her remains will be with her husband at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.