Gary Don Smith

Gary Don Smith went to be with his Lord and Savior on December 1, 2020, after a long illness. Graveside services will be held at 2:15 pm on December 11, 2020, at the DFW National Cemetery at 2000 Mountain Creek Pkwy, Dallas, Texas 75211. Call the family at 214-587-0085 to meet you there. Gary will lie in state from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm on Wednesday, December 9, 2020, at Marshal & Marshall Funeral Directors in Whitney.

He was born on May 12, 1945, in Brownwood, Texas to Ruby Jane and Dee Severe Smith of Bangs Texas. He graduated from Bangs High School in 1963, where he was active in FFA and football. Gary married Lois Smith in July 1994 in Stephenville, Texas, where he lived for many years and worked at the Norton Company where he retired.  Gary loved people and his animals. He would give someone the shirt off his back if he thought they needed it. His sense of humor couldn’t be beat and he loved to see people smile or laugh at his version of a story.

In 1965, he joined the U.S. Navy for four years, where he served as a Dental Prosthetic Technician aboard the aircraft carrier USS Kerasarge (CVS-33), serving two tours of Vietnam in the Tonkin Gulf and other areas. After leaving the Navy in 1969, he attended Abilene Christian University and then graduated in 1974 with his BS in Social Work Service from San Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas.

His duty as a patriot called again in 1974, and he joined the U. S. Army and served there until 1982 in the Social Work Service Department. Gary wrote the first Standard Operating Procedures at Fort Bragg, North Carolina for the Army’s first Social Work Service Department. From there, he was sent to Frankfort W. Germany to the ‘97th General Hospital, where he counseled many people in the service and investigated child abuse and neglect cases. Gary and his family returned to Allen, Texas in 1979 where served three years of mandatory recruiting duty. He left the Army in 1992. While serving his country he received the following medals and ribbons for his service in the Navy and Army: National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal (two bronze stars), Republic of Vietnam Campaign, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Korea), Army Commendation (with one oak leaves cluster), Good Conduct Medal (with bronze loop), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, and U. S. Army Recruiter Ribbon.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Lois Smith in September 2020; parents, Ruby and Dee Smith; sisters, Dorothy Horton, Pauline Blair, and Joyce Hance; brother, Nathan Smith; and niece, Linda Blair.

Survivors include his son, Daryl Smith of Whitney; granddaughter, Anna Smith of Addison; grandson, Aron Smith of Carrolton; and ex-wife, Janice Barnett Smith of Whitney.