What can be said about G. A. “Buddy” Smith? Much more than he went to be with the Lord on September 4th at the age of 75. To start with, he was born Gordon Allan Smith, June 25, 1946, out of the love of a good man for a good woman – his parents, Gordon W. Smith and Lois M. Smith.
He was everyone’s friend and buddy, and the moniker stuck while he ran about on Onion Creek in Del Valle, Texas with James, Ronnie, Terry, Sammy, Jack and others, as they hunted jackrabbits from the fender of a truck, swam in the creek (clothing optional), and remained as he played football for Dell Valle High, showed polled Hereford cattle from the Storm Ranch, and Buddy became his name as he moved on to a lifelong love of all things agriculture, entrepreneurial pursuits, and raising cattle. During all of this he continually made friends and always made a point to meet a stranger, because they were just unknown friends, or customers.
Buddy continued his love of Onion Creek and other bodies of water while teaching his sons and nephews about skinny-dipping, fishing, swimming and water skiing. He also used the skills acquired rabbit hunting with his childhood friends to teach his sons, stepson and their friends, and well, anyone willing to ride in the truck with him, special driving maneuvers, how to properly handle a spotlight while travelling 50 mph across a cow pasture, and how bad it smells when a skunk is shot at close range.
His business pursuits of fertilizer, herbicides, feed, cattle and all things agriculture took him across the state, around the country and to other parts of the world, all the time he was making friends and being a friend. Yet, he met his greatest friend at a “goat-roper” Bible study early one morning on a tank dam outside San Marcos, Texas while enjoying a hot cup of coffee that had been boiled over an open campfire. This great friend is Jesus Christ the Messiah. This friendship did not make Buddy perfect, just Perfected.
Now that Buddy has gone on to find, worship, and rejoice with this great friend, he will also have an opportunity to reunite with his father Gordon W. Smith and his beautiful sister, Janice Thomas, both of whom preceded him in death.
Buddy leaves behind many who will miss him and also look forward to joining him in rejoicing before this great friend, Jesus.
He is survived by his wife, Julia Smith of Cedar Park, his mother, Lois Smith of Temple, two sons, Carl Smith and his wife Lisa of Kerrville, Craig Smith and his wife Patty of Lockhart; one stepson Brandon Briggs and his wife Christy of Burnet; one stepdaughter Bree Folk and her husband Chuck of Tucson, AZ; two sisters Connie Sublette and her husband James of Tyler and Elaine Bigham and her husband Larry of San Marcos; his brother-in-law and friend James Thomas of Little River-Academy, ten grandchildren, one great-grandson, numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and innumerable friends.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Bonnie Cain Ministries 13200 FM 170 Marfa, TX 79843.
Visitation will be from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Saturday, September18, 2021, at Scanio-Harper Funeral Home in Temple, Texas with services to follow and interment at Greathouse Cemetery in Little River-Academy.
