Guy Lynwood Smith, 94, of Victoria passed away Sunday, April 2, 2017. Visitation will be at Northside Baptist Church Friday, April 7, 2017 from Noon – 2 pm. Funeral services will follow at 2 pm at Northside Baptist Church. Burial will follow in Memory Gardens Cemetery with full military honors under the auspices of the Victoria Veterans Council. Share words of comfort at www.rosewoodfuneralchapel.com.
Guy Lynwood Smith departed this life Sunday, April 2, 1017 at 4:30 pm. He had spent three months in various health institutions after cracking his pelvic bone the day after Thanksgiving. He went home with Harbor Hospice for three weeks before returning to DeTar with respiratory distress. He rallied on Saturday but his heart gave out on Sunday. He tried to make it to his 95th birthday which would have been May 27th. He was born in 1922 to Guy Lusk and Odelia Leibold Smith near Long Mott, Texas on a farm that was part of a Spanish land grant procured by his grandfather, Herman Leibold. He and his brother, Louis had been born at Indianola where their parents had arrived from Hamburg,Germany. As an aside, Louis became a pharmacist and came to Victoria and built the building that currently is called Rosebud that housed his pharmacy. Lynwood was the youngest of six children born in the farm home. He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters: Audrey Gibson, Lois Theus, Bernice Bailey, and 4 year old Little Mabel Smith, and brother, Herbert Smith. He attended school in Long Mott, Seadrift, and Port Lavaca. In order to play sports in high school the superintendent helped him find work and lodging in Port Lavaca. One of the main jobs he had was to wait tables in Steves cafe before school. He could balance cups of coffee up his arm to serve them! So he was a Sandcrab and salutatorian of his 1940 class. As an aside, one of his classmates was Gladiola Dierlam.
Lynwood began working for the Highway Department, including the causeway to Point Comfort. He met and married Evelyn Cobb, a hill country girl who came to teach on the coast. He entered the Navy after Pearl Harbor and served on the USS Boyd, a destroyer escort. They were one of thirty in the waters near Okinawa being bombed by kamikazes. The Boyd was one of ten that survived that bombardment. In another incident one of their engine rooms was hit and everyone in there died. Lynwood was in the other engine room. He came out of the war with a son, Gary Lynwood Smith (1944). The little family came to Victoria, where he worked as a draftsman for the Highway Dept. Sue Evelyn (1946) completed the family. They lived on Wheeler Street behind Tom O'Connor’s house, where Gary played with Louise and Catherine, and even went to the drive inn movie with them. Because Sue cried too much and bothered the landlady, the family moved to Yucca Heights at Aloe Field. When DuPont came to the area, Lynwood hired on and spent 35 years working there.
The family was able to move to their own home in a new housing development on Laurent and Melrose Streets. They began going to a new church mission in a tent on Polk and Laurent. They were there for all of the ensuing years and Lynwood helped build the early buildings with the other men of the church. He served in many capacities such as head of the building committee, deacon, Sunday School leader, and even as song leader. The church was a big part of his family's life, including supporting Evelyn's role in beginning Northside Baptist Day School and later a church library. Lynwood realized a dream of having a home in the country and they built a home on five acres so he could have a couple of horses. That was one of his graduation yearbook goals. Later they designed and he helped build a home near Mission Valley on more land with big old trees. They called it Oakwoods. It was a dream home for the couple.
Alas, Evelyn was stricken with cancer and he took early retirement from DuPont to care for her and help manage her trips to MD Anderson and later DaVita. He did that job devotedly until her death in Jan. 2007. He had a few healthy years to tend to his place and animals before his body began betraying him. He had his beautiful paint, Rhodie, who he raised as a colt and broke himself. He rode her for a long time until she got sick at age 32 years. He sadly put her down himself. There were other horses, donkeys, and mules. He raised cows, sheep, then goats and dogs. He provided wonderful activities for his grandkids and other family and friends with Shetland pony rides, pony cart rides, grape picking, gardening and plain ole country life.
Making these memories were his grandchildren Melissa Smith Consoli, Holli Smith Addison, Jonathan, James, Justin, and Jason Howard. Lately his great grandchildren: Jonathan Morales, Isabelle and Savannah Addison, Jett Howard, Emilia Anderson, and Jason Howard have enjoyed this special place, Oakwoods. Lynwood was adored by his nieces and is survived by Reba Theus Cross Seals (David), Ruth Theus Livezy,
Kathleen Bailey, Eileen Bailey (John Driscoll), Beth Gibson Ward, and Anne Gibson Martin (Danny). He was preceded in death by nephew Jimmy Bailey and niece Linda Bailey Starr (Jesse). Several of their children hold dear the memory of times with Uncle Lynwood including Justin Guy Cross (Lori, Josh, Lacey), Stuart Cross (Linda, Logan and Makayla), Kimberly Cross Johnson (Max, Jarrod, Andrew (Sally), and Sierra and Izabella), Amanda Livezy, John Livezy, Judy Russell and Jasmine, Clint Russell (Maria, Doug and Jesse), Kelly Brooks Calzaretta (Rich, David, Bryant and Sally, Christian, Carly and Natalie, Shelley Brooks Mullins, Michael, Brook (Jeff, Brianna and Jefferson) Zach, Josh (deceased), Rachel (Reese and Madison), Michael James, Emily and Grace, Laurie Brooks (Tim Maurice), Anne Gibson (Danny; Shane (Heather, Colton, Sidney and Dillon; Travis (Melisa, Peyton (Jack and Jack), Justin, Lynox, and T J; Heather and Frankie. Some of these children have enjoyed an association with him as well. He is survived by many others who have loved him including his granddaughter in law, Rosa Howard, Dwayne Addison, Andres Consoli and Crystal Anderson. Lastly, his children Gary (Joan) Smith and Sue Howard survive him to carry on. He will be missed by many-his wit, humorous sayings, plain talk and devotion to God and family.
The family would like to extend special thanks to DeTar Hospital, his long-time physician, Dr. Mark Stevens and his associates, Dr. Parikh, both locations of Warm Springs and their wonderful nurses and therapists.
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