Hugh Love Smith, Sr.

1919 - 2017  (97 years)

• Name	Hugh Love Smith  [1, 2, 3]
  Suffix	Sr.
  Birth	18 Jun 1919	Geneva, Sabine County, Texas   [1, 4]
  Gender	Male
  Death	14 Jun 2017	Boerne, Kendall County, Texas   [4]
  Notes	Listed in obituaries of siblings as "of Corpus Christi, Texas." Hugh Love Smith, Sr., age 98, of Corpus Christi and more recently, Boerne, Texas, died peacefully in the presence of his loving family on June 14, 2017. He was born at home in Geneva, Texas, in Sabine County, on January 18, 1919, to Prince Anna Dorsey Smith and Eugene Burton Smith. He was one of 10 children. His father was a farmer and later the Sheriff of Sabine County. Hugh attended public schools in Sabine County, where he lettered for three years at Hemphill High School as an outstanding guard in basketball. On March 12, 1938, at age 19, he eloped with his beautiful, 16-year-old high school sweetheart, Era Mae Robbins. He bought her wedding ring, a gold band embossed with orange blossoms, at the drug store in Hemphill. The couple moved in 1938 to Corpus Christi, where they raised 'two children and each other' during the 76 years of their marriage. Hugh's first job in Corpus Christi was driving a delivery truck for Samsco Supply Company, and less than a year later he landed a job with Southwestern Oil & Refining Co. (later to become Kerr-McGee). His career at Southwestern began as an unskilled laborer, and he progressed to pumper, operator, lab manager, and finally to the position of manager of marketing. During World War II, Hugh served his country by remaining at his oil refining job of producing fuel for military aircraft. He retired in 1983, after working for 44 years with the same company. He loved his job with Southwestern, and took great pride in his work and the relationships he built there. Hugh was baptized in a creek near San Augustine at age 11 at a summer revival. After moving to Corpus Christi, he joined First Baptist Church downtown, where he participated in the Young Men's Bible Class, served as president of the Rufus Bryant Sunday School class, and worked with children at Boy's City and South Texas Children's Home. One of his most meaningful experiences was serving as an enthusiastic volunteer with Gerald Smith's Boy Scout Troop 11, for whom he presented the troop's first Eagle Award. In later years at First Baptist on Ocean Drive, Hugh enjoyed attending Vernon Elmore's Pastor's Class, served on the Property and Maintenance committee, and spent 10 years doing 'porch ministry' with Johnny Thomason. Hugh was an avid member of the Corpus Christi Camera Club, and built houses under the name 'Hugh Smith Builder' for 15 years under the mentorship of his dear friend, Frank Peerman. One of the most fun '96 albeit frustrating -- periods of his life was his 'golf era', which began in the 1960's with a foursome which played together for over 30 years, including John Wright, Carlos Hayley, Larry Lay, and later Henry Gillespie. This evenly-matched group loved being together and insisted that it was never too hot, cold, or windy to hit the links three times a week. While Hugh threatened to 'quit that foolish game' at least 1000 times, he reluctantly hung up his golf bag in 2006 due to health problems. A member of the Corpus Christi Country Club for 40 years, he served for two years as head of the Grounds Committee, and on the Board of Directors for three years. Hugh is preceded in death by his parents, nine of his siblings and in August 2014, his loving and faithful wife, Era Mae Smith; He is survived by a son, Hugh Love 'Clipper' Smith, Jr. and wife Nona of Vicksburg, MS; daughter, Sylvia Ann Smith Griffin and husband Paul, of Boerne, TX; six grandchildren: Stephen Smith and wife Sherri of San Antonio, Jim 'Kelly' Smith and wife Kelly of Vicksburg, MS, Abney Smith Clardy and husband Trey of Mendenhall, MS, Robin Smith of Vicksburg, MS, Chris Griffin and wife Ashleigh of Austin, TX, and Cindy Griffin Carr and husband Brian of Boerne,TX twelve great-grandchildren, one great-great grandchild; and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and friends. Hugh was delighted -- a mere ten days prior to his death -- to attend a family gathering to celebrate the birth of his great-great granddaughter with five generations together at one time. On that day, Hugh was able to affirm and bless his numerous family members and enjoy their loving company. While Hugh's long life reflects many accomplishments, his proudest achievement by far was that of being a father to Clipper and Sylvia. He was a real 'Daddy' who was at home with his family every night and weekend. He took his kids to church, knew their teachers and their friends, and showed them by example what a life of integrity looked like. Hugh was his most complete when he was with his best friend, soul mate and counselor -- his wife Era Mae. He loved to bring her coffee in the mornings, and in the afternoons with a little bowl of ice cream. If she was mad at him, she would get her own coffee '96 and that was the worst possible punishment she could give him! They used to love dancing, and they would have small tea dances with their friends in the living room, and the kids would peek at them, thinking they looked just like Fred and Ginger. They took wonderful, winsome photographs together and developed them in their own darkroom. They held hands. They could read each others' minds. They loved each other deeply. The final years of Hugh and Era Mae's lives were spent living in Boerne, Texas at the Morningside Ministry at Menger Springs retirement living facility. They attended First Baptist Church in Boerne as long as they were able, and when they could no longer attend, they were visited faithfully by Pastor Mike Harkrider. The family is so grateful for the caring attention of many, including Shawna Barron, Bryce Boddie, Ulysses Flores, and Amy Castro of Alamo Hospice, Yessika Rodriguez of Nurse Next Door, Sandra, Sylvia, Monty and numerous others of the Cibolo House at Menger Springs. A family Memorial Celebration will be held in Boerne, TX in late June with a graveside service held in Geneva, TX at a yet to be determined date. Memorial gfts to the life and legacy of Hugh Smith may be made to CASA of South Texas at 1420 2nd St., Pleasanton, TX 78064 or Jacobs Ladder Learning Center, Inc. at 1017 Harrison St, Vicksburg, MS 39180. To leave condolences for the family and to view a video of Hugh's life, please visit www.ebensberger-fisher.com and select the obituaries tab. Funeral: A family Memorial Celebration will be held in Boerne, TX in late June. Interment: A graveside service will be held in Geneva, TX at a yet to be determined date. downloaded from http://www.ebensberger-fisher.com/ Also published in The Sabine County Reporter, July 5, 2017, Page 5
  Person ID	I34199	Strong Family Tree
  Last Modified	2 Oct 2017

  
  

  Father	Eugene Burton Smith,   b. 9 Sep 1872, Texas d. 22 Mar 1965 (Age 92 years)
  Mother	Prince Anna Dorsey,   b. 11 Aug 1878, Geneva, Sabine County, Texas d. 20 Feb 1922, Texas (Age 43 years)
  Marriage	Bef 1896
  Family ID	F6694	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Era Mae "Sister" Robbins,   b. 3 Mar 1922, Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas d. 8 Aug 2014, Boerne, Kendall County, Texas (Age 92 years)
  Marriage	Abt 1938  [5]
  Children	1. Living   2. Living
  Family ID	F11912	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	24 Aug 2014

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 18 Jun 1919 - Geneva, Sabine County, Texas Death - 14 Jun 2017 - Boerne, Kendall County, Texas  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Sources

  [S483] 1920 United States Federal Census [Ancestry.com database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005, (For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the NARA web page. This database is an index to individuals enumerated in the 1920 United States Federal Census, the Fourteenth Census of the United States. It includes all states and territories, as well as Military and Naval Forces, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, and the Panama Canal Zone. The census provides many details about individuals and families including: name, gender, age, birthplace, year of immigration, mother tongue, and parents? birthplaces. In addition, the names of those listed on the population schedule are linked to actual images of the 1920 Federal Census.), Texas, Sabine, JP 8 Enumerated 14 and 15 Jan 1920 SD 326 E D 172 Sheet 8B (Reliability: 3). [S336] The Sabine County Reporter, P.O. Box 700, Hemphill, Texas (Published Weekly), (Founded in 1883, The Sabine County Reporter (USPS 474-660) is published once a week on Wednesday. The Reporter is Published by Sabine County Reporter, Inc. Postmaster: Send change of address to P.O. Box 700, Hemphill, Texas 75948-0700. The Sabine County Reporter and The Rambler merged March 1, 1988. Member National Newspaper Association and Texas Press Association.), October 4, 1995, Page 16 (Reliability: 3). [S336] The Sabine County Reporter, P.O. Box 700, Hemphill, Texas (Published Weekly), (Founded in 1883, The Sabine County Reporter (USPS 474-660) is published once a week on Wednesday. The Reporter is Published by Sabine County Reporter, Inc. Postmaster: Send change of address to P.O. Box 700, Hemphill, Texas 75948-0700. The Sabine County Reporter and The Rambler merged March 1, 1988. Member National Newspaper Association and Texas Press Association.), July 5, 2017, Page 5 (Reliability: 3). [S336] The Sabine County Reporter, P.O. Box 700, Hemphill, Texas (Published Weekly), (Founded in 1883, The Sabine County Reporter (USPS 474-660) is published once a week on Wednesday. The Reporter is Published by Sabine County Reporter, Inc. Postmaster: Send change of address to P.O. Box 700, Hemphill, Texas 75948-0700. The Sabine County Reporter and The Rambler merged March 1, 1988. Member National Newspaper Association and Texas Press Association.). [S336] The Sabine County Reporter, P.O. Box 700, Hemphill, Texas (Published Weekly), (Founded in 1883, The Sabine County Reporter (USPS 474-660) is published once a week on Wednesday. The Reporter is Published by Sabine County Reporter, Inc. Postmaster: Send change of address to P.O. Box 700, Hemphill, Texas 75948-0700. The Sabine County Reporter and The Rambler merged March 1, 1988. Member National Newspaper Association and Texas Press Association.), August 20, 2014, page 12 (Reliability: 3).