Sam Odd Smith, of Beaumont, died at home on March 20, 2013, at the age of 81 1/2, to the day, with his usual precision. He was born on September 20, 1931, in Beaumont, Texas, to Dr. William Asbury Smith and his wife, Julia Crocket Smith.
He grew up in Beaumont, attended area schools, and graduated from Beaumont High School with the class of 1949. Sam attended Texas A&M University for one semester and transferred to Texas A&I in Kingsville. He graduated in 1954 with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture.
Sam then served in United States Army as a helicopter mechanic during the Korean War while stationed in Japan. He moved to Houston in 1959 and was employed by V.P. Ringer, MAI as a real estate appraiser.
Near Labor Day in the year 1961 he met Dorothy Hello Smith, a native of Austin. The first storm they weathered together was called Hurricane “Carla”. They were married on January 20, 1962, in Houston, by Dr. Charles L. Allen, of First Methodist Church. Their first child, Sandra Jean Smith Patterson, was born in 1964, in Houston; their second child, Kimberly Ann Smith Justeson, arrived in Beaumont in 1970.
In 1969, the family returned to Beaumont, and Sam purchased Jefferson County Title Company from a shareholder group, one of whom told Sam he was the only person she ever knew who “came back to Beaumont.” Sam had two very successful careers.
One of which was driven by his love of the outdoors and land, which lead him to become a real estate consultant and land title expert. He founded Smithcorp Real Estate Services in 1991 and managed and contributed to its success up until his death. He was known as the “go to” person for both land consultations and title matters.
The second career came about as the result of concerns about flooding from Tropical Storm Danielle in 1980, Sam and Thad Heartfield met with Judge Richard LeBlanc, Mayor Maury Meyers, and Norman Troy, Precinct 1 Commissioner. He was appointed to the board of Jefferson County Drainage District Number 6 (DD6) on February 10, 1981. Sam was the guiding force that has brought DD6 into the twenty-first century. He was involved in all aspects of DD6’s operations and was instrumental in all phases of the various Taylor’s Bayou projects, of which the final phase is currently 80% complete. After more than three decades of service, over $500 million in projects and $150 million in awards granted by state and federal agencies, he accomplished what he set out to do, which was to serve the well-being of the community. In 2010, the DD6’s Board of Directors chose to honor him by naming its new building the Sam O. Smith Multipurpose Building. He continued serving faithfully as Board President until his death.
Sam was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church serving on the Finance Committee and Administrative Board.
Anyone that met him, quickly learned that Sam was a loving, caring and generous individual. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him. The family would like to thank everyone that contributed to the wonderful life that Sam had.
Survivors include his daughters, Sandra Smith Patterson and her husband, Dale, of Austin and Kimberly Smith Justeson and her husband, Jeremy, of Fleetwood, Pennsylvania; sister, Patricia Smith Terry and her husband, Edwin, of Lakeway Village; and grandchildren, Ryan and Brandon Patterson of Austin and Jake and Reid Justeson of Fleetwood, Pennsylvania.
He is preceded in death by his parents; wife of forty-seven years, Dorothy Hello Smith; and sister, Dr. Helen Shoemake.
A gathering of Mr. Smith’s family and friends will be from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., Friday, March 22, 2013, at Broussard’s, 1605 North Major Drive, Beaumont. His funeral service will be 10:30 a.m., Saturday, March 23, 2013, at Trinity United Methodist Church, 3430 Harrison Avenue, Beaumont, with interment to follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Beaumont.
Memorial contributions may be made to Trinity United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 5247 Beaumont, Texas 77726; or to American Heart Association, P.O. Box 841125, Dallas, Texas 75284.
