Erma Jean Smith

January 25, 1936 – January 11, 2024

Erma Jean Smith, a remarkable woman whose life was devoted to serving God by serving other people, went home to live forever with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Thursday, January 11, 2024.

Jean was born into this world on January 25, 1936, in a little house on the outskirts of Strawn, a small west Texas coal mining town. She was supported and nurtured through the early years of her life by two loving parents and five older brothers who taught her the value of family, hard work, and education. Her father, Matthew Smith (yes, her maiden name was also Smith), taught her the joy of learning about the world through reading; her mother, Matha, taught her to love Jesus Christ and demonstrated what it means to be his servant.

After graduating as valedictorian of Strawn High School, Jean left home to attend the University of Texas where she studied education. She found a new church home in Austin, and there she met the love of her life, Alton Smith. They soon married and moved to Dallas to begin a new life together. Their lives were transformed forever with the addition of their firstborn son, Kent, in August of 1958. Kyle came along 15 months later, and Karla in 1964.

Shortly after Karla was born, Jean realized her growing boys needed to be in a more formal learning environment. Since there were no kindergarten or preschools available, she started her own neighborhood school for young children. She taught them all in her own home, free of charge, because they needed to learn and because she loved to teach.

When her own children were all in public schools, Jean began teaching four and five-year-old children in a local private school. She became an avid proponent of the Montessori teaching method and began to dream of having her own school where children could learn and grow in a Christ-centered school dedicated to excellence. She turned that dream into reality when she founded Children’s Discovery Center where she served as director and head teacher for twenty-five years.

Jean Smith was the consummate teacher of children and a role-model for those who have a heart for serving children. She became a teacher of teachers. Those who witnessed her teaching style would simply marvel at her ability to command the attention of a room full of wiggling four-year-olds, filling them with wonder and excitement, whether the lesson was on multiplication, science, or the promise of heaven for those who love Jesus. For over fifty years she taught children about Jesus almost every Sunday morning. She served as director of the children’s education program at her church and wrote the entire Sunday school curriculum.

During the summer months when most children were not in school, she turned her attention toward teaching children to swim. She began a swimming program for neighborhood children that gradually evolved into a highly successful family business, S&A Swimming. It continues today under the direction of her daughter Karla and two grandsons, Trevor and Logan Austin. The backyard swimming program Jean started is responsible for teaching more than 16,000 children how to swim.

Throughout her adult life, Jean poured her abundant creative energy into whatever activities would be of service to her own children and the children in her community. She served as a room mother for all her children and became a leader in the Parent Teacher Association. She and Alton together led a life group for teenagers in their home for ten consecutive years and assisted for many years with an after-school program for children in the community. She served as a Cub Scout leader for her boys and as scorekeeper for their baseball games. She founded a Girl Scout troop for Karla and her peers and over the next ten years led them on monthly campouts and countless other adventures, a life-changing experience for a close-knit group of teen-age girls.

Jean and Alton loved the outdoors and chose to share that passion with their children whenever possible. When Karla was six years old, the family began yearly backpacking trips to the Colorado mountains where they would enjoy unparalleled family time in the wilderness—hiking, flyfishing, and playing cards in the tent after dark. These annual adventures continued until all three children were married. Jean never missed a trip.

When grandchildren came along—she had nine—Jean was not content to simply watch them grow up from a distance. She wanted to be involved and wanted the cousins to develop close ties and lifelong memories. So, she planned monthly “grandkid nights” when all the grandkids would be delivered to her house for an evening of fun and adventure. They played games, made crafts, put on plays, traveled to interesting places, and generally had a riotous good time while the weary parents enjoyed some peace and quiet. She served her children and grandchildren through these special weekends and eventually wrote and published a book about her experiences to encourage other grandparents to be more involved with their own grandchildren.

Jean tirelessly served her family in countless other ways. She made dozens of beautiful quilts, sat through hundreds of ball games, served fabulous holiday meals, and documented the family history in scrapbooks that will be treasured forever. And she took the time to care for everyone when difficult times came, especially for her precious grandson, Jared, who needed extra love and care for the twenty-three years he was part of her earthly family. And for sixty-seven years she loved and cared for her husband, Alton, who survives her at the age of ninety-three.

Jean Smith is survived by her oldest son, Kent Smith (married to Diana), Kyle Smith (married to Nan), and Karla Austin (married to Chris), eight grandchildren (Amber Bell, Makenzie Fortney, Sarah Smith, Amy Smith, Madison Lancaster, Danielle Wilder, Trevor Austin, Logan Austin), and eight great-grandchildren (Teagan, Sawyer, Josie, Walter, Madden, Stella, Brooks, Callahan) with two more on the way.

Friends and family are invited to join Jean’s family for a memorial service to celebrate her remarkable life of service on Saturday, January 20th at 2:00 PM at the Branch Church: 3035 Valley View Ln, Farmers Branch, TX. There will be a reception and family visitation time following the memorial service. Private graveside services will be held on Saturday morning for family only. Jean will be buried at Oak Grove cemetery in Irving near her grandson Jared.

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