Burt B. Smith's Obituary
A Celebration of Life Service will be held for Burt B. Smith at 4:00 pm on August 4, 2018 at Longview Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Longview, Texas. Visitation will be held at 3:00 pm prior to the service. Services are under the direction of Rader Funeral Home of Longview.
Burt was born on July 18, 1930 in Omaha, Nebraska and died on July 31, 2018 after waging a courageous lengthy battle against heart disease. He will be fondly remembered for his vibrant “larger than life” personality. He filled his life with what he loved most, traveling, in both his working years and retirement. During his career as a hotelier he and his wife Margie, along with daughters Eda and Joanna, called six states home. In retirement, travel with Margie via motor home or travel trailer was his greatest joy. No destination was too daunting to tackle with their “home on wheels” (including Mexico and the wilds of Alaska) and they called many campgrounds home. Durango, Colorado became one of their favorite travel destinations and they settled there permanently for several years. It also became a popular vacation spot for the whole family and several of Burt’s grandchildren fondly remember receiving driving lessons from Grandpa in a jeep on a mountain back road. Burt and Margie’s travels also took them on a variety of adventures to several countries outside of the United States. They developed a particular affinity for Mexico that started with their first trip as a married couple to Acapulco on their honeymoon in 1955. Burt was definitely a “travelin’ man.”
Burt loved to tell a good story and enjoyed entertaining people with both his theatrics and his beautiful deep singing voice. His unforgettable reading of the story of the birth of Christ at Christmas time (in his Grinch pajama pants) will be greatly missed. Burt had an adventurous spirit that led him to try snowmobiling and hot air ballooning in his 70’s and he continued to enjoy an occasional horseback ride even in to his 80’s. He loved riding his lawn tractor and playing gin rummy every evening with Margie. Left to remember these good memories of Burt are his wife of 62 years Margie Merrell Smith; daughter Eda Smith Giles and husband John; daughter Joanna Smith Pierce and husband DeWayne; grandchildren Kristen, Natalie, Andrew, Amanda, Nicholas and their spouses; great grandchildren Kennedy, JJ, Austin, Luke, Caleb Byron, Abby, Emma and Max; step grandchildren/great grandchildren Daniel, Collin, Ashley, Madeline, Brayden, Brooklynn and Brinley; brother Rodney Smith and wife Jeanene.
In lieu of flowers, the family would like to suggest a donation to Longview EPC or Compass Hospice of East Texas.
A memorial guestbook may be signed online at www.raderfh.com.
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