Obituary of Margie Smith

Funeral services for Margie Smith are scheduled for 10 AM Wednesday, January 10, 2024, in the chapel of Golden Funeral Home with Bro. Dennis Hackler officiating. A time of visitation will be held Wednesday from 9 AM until 10 AM service time at Goldens. Marjorie Maxine Dunn was born May 6, 1930, in Tulsa, OK to E.R. “Red” and Thelma Dunn, and passed away Wednesday, January 3, 2024, at the age of ninety-three. She was the only sister of three brothers. She met the love of her life, Richard M. Smith, and they were married in Joplin, MO on August 22, 1948. After spending time in California and Hawaii where Richard was finishing out his service with the Navy, they returned home to Joplin and later to Bartlesville, OK. While there he would go to work for Otasco, and they would raise their three sons, Galen, Greg and Stanley. In 1966, as Manager of Otasco, they were transferred to Bastrop, LA. where Margie came on the scene as a young mother with three active boys. Although at first, she felt like an outsider, it wasn't long before her love of people changed all that. She was kept busy with the boys' school and sports events, and eventually took a business course and went to work as a secretary in attorney Charles Gladney's office. Later she would go to work full time in the Otasco office and worked alongside Richard for many years until his retirement. Many people came to know her during her time at Otasco, as she never met a stranger. She was quick to smile and was genuinely interested in getting to know people. Her skill of conversation would put anyone at ease. If you could gain stock in AT&T by using their telephone service, she would own that company today. It was nothing to spend an hour on the phone talking to her. If you were a daughter-in-law or her best friend, Betty Dreher, you could look forward to that call every day. Her most coveted role was mother and grandmother. She was a good mother, but she was undoubtedly Grand Champion of Grandmothers. She had a fierce Mama Bear protectiveness of her grandkids. There was nothing she wouldn't do for them and if they got hurt or had a bad day, if she was anywhere nearby, she was instantly there with the band aid or the treat or the comforting hug that made everything better. If somebody gave one of her grandkids a rough time, they better look out, because they were going up against Granny Margie as well. She came to be a wonderful cook and loved to host holidays and events where her Southern hospitality was on full display. Margie used to tell a story that she didn't know how to cook when she and Richard first got married. She said the first meal she served him as a married couple was a bowl of ice cream. After moving to Louisiana, you would have thought she was born on the banks of the bayou for her love of boiled crawfish and one of her signature dishes became crawfish etouffee. Her Red Velvet and Italian Cream Cakes were legendary among the Church of Christ Potluck dinners. She held so many titles in her lifetime, Wife, Mother, Sister, Friend, Granny, Babysitter, Chauffer, Bookkeeper, Interior Decorator, Exceptional Cook, Christian, Disciple. The most important of all these, secures her a mansion in heaven. She loved her church and her church family, both here in Bastrop and Kingsport, TN, where they moved in 2002. She loved her Lord and wanted to share his good news with everyone. She was always encouraging others to find the path to salvation for themselves. She was very active in Kingsport Church of Christ, and even opened her home to teenagers from neighboring states while they attended youth retreats at her church. Mrs. Smith is preceded in death by her husband, Richard Smith; son, Greg Smith; grandchildren, Dylan Smith, Allison Smith; brothers, Bob Dunn, Bill Dunn, and Marvin Dunn. She is survived by her sons, Galen Smith and wife, Kathy of Kingsport, TN, Stanley Smith and wife, Gail of Bastrop, LA; grandchildren, Joshua Juel, Megan Juel, Sara Gilmore and husband, Logan, Connor Smith and Kimmie, Eric Smith, Kyle Smith and wife, Kasey; great grandchildren, Alana Gilmore, Skye Gilmore, and Ophelia Smith. How do you say goodbye to someone who was so special to so many? By following in her footsteps and keeping to her principles, maybe we don't have to say goodbye, maybe we can just say see you later.