Donald Wayne Smith

Donald W. Smith Gladewater " Services for Donald W. Smith, 89, of Gladewater, will be held on Saturday, August 20, 2011, at 1:30 P.M. at the First United Methodist Church with Reverend Dick Dobbins and Larry W. Osborne officiating. Private family burial will be in Lakeview Cemetery. Born on January 19, 1922, in Burkburnett, Texas, he died on Wednesday, August 17, 2011. A 1939 graduate of Iowa Park High School, he attended North Texas State Teachers College, majoring in physical education. After completing a year and a half at NTSTC, he went to Denver, Colorado to visit his brother who was in the United States Air Force stationed at Lowery Field. He remained in Colorado, working for a construction company. While there he decided to join the war effort and in 1942 he entered the United States Navy. He was sent to San Diego for basic training and then to Norfolk, Virginia where he went aboard the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown. He spent two and a half years aboard the USS Yorktown as an aviation machinist-mate. He went from Norfolk to the Pacific Ocean. Eventually, he anchored in Tokyo after the end of the war. After his honorable discharge from the military in 1945, he returned to Dallas, Texas. At that time he entered Southern Methodist University and also worked for the Borden Milk Company. He graduated from SMU in 1950. In 1947 he married Betty Davis, a nurse at Baylor Hospital in Dallas. She later became a nurse for the Gladewater Independent School District where she served until her death in 1982. After graduating from SMU in 1950, he applied for a teaching job with the Gladewater ISD and was employed to teach sixth grade at Broadway Elementary School, a position he maintained from 1950 to 1954. From 1954 to 1958 he taught physical education at Broadway Elementary School and at Gay Elementary School. He received his master"s degree in education and administrator"s certificate. From 1958 to 1983, he was principal at Gay Avenue Elementary School, Gladewater High School, and Weldon Middle School. In 1983 he married Juanita Sunderman, a second grade teacher in Denton, Texas. His involvement in community activities included the Junior Chamber of Commerce, the Gladewater Lions Club, the Local Texas State Teachers Association, and a board member of the East Texas Teachers Credit Union. He was an active member of the Gladewater First United Methodist Church, serving as Sunday School Secretary. He is survived by his wife, Juanita Smith of Gladewater; daughter and son-in-law, Rebecca and Robert Hoppe of Georgetown; step-daughter, Cindy Sunderman of Garland; step- son and daughter-in-law, Harold and Andrea Sunderman of Albuquerque, New Mexico; 6 grandchildren, Drewe Hoppe, Shay Hoppe, Phillip Meyer, Collin Meyer, Laurel Sunderman, and Bryant Sunderman; and sister, Helen Clendennen of Burnett, Texas. Pallbearers will be Robert Hoppe, Harold Sunderman, Shay Hoppe, Bryant Sunderman, Phillip Meyer, and Collin Meyer. Honorary pallbearers will be Tom Davis, Dr. Ben McKenzie, Jerome Williams, Charles Hopson, Bob Hill, Jerry Adams, Larry Aaron, Charles Gilpin, John Lyle, Mitch Mitchum, Richard Goode, Rudolph Phillips, and Mayor Walter Derrick If so desired, memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, 217 W. Quitman, Gladewater, Texas 75647. No formal visitation is scheduled.