Janice Marie Stogsdill Smith's Obituary
Janice Marie Stogsdill Smith, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin and friend passed from this life to her eternal home on September 12, 2024, in Plano, Texas. Janice was born on March 18, 1939, at Florence Nightingale Hospital in Dallas to Marion A. and Bonnie Lee Doggett Stogsdill.
She attended Stonewall Jackson Elementary School, J.L. Long Junior High, and Woodrow Wilson High School (class of 1957). She graduated from Texas Christian University in 1961 with a degree in Elementary Education. She met the soon-to-be love of her life, John Charles Smith, in junior high, but they did not begin dating until their senior year at Woodrow Wilson. Janice and John were married on January 30, 1961, at Greenville Avenue Christian Church in Dallas following her graduation from TCU. The newlyweds began their married life immediately at College Station, Texas, living at Hensel married-students' apartments at Texas A&M. Janice taught a second-grade class at Ben Milam Elementary School in Bryan, Texas, while John pursued his degrees in Petroleum Geology.
Each location where Janice and John lived holds a special memory. Walt was born in Bryan, Texas, and Ronnie was born in Victoria, Texas. Janice and John became very active in Central Christian Church in Corpus Christi. They were there during Hurricane Celia in 1970. New Orleans was definitely her favorite location. She loved Mardi Gras and enjoyed neighborhood parades and accumulating a highly prized collection of doubloons and beads. Frequently attending the 1984 World’s Fair in New Orleans with a passport was a cherished memory. She became close friends with French Quarter artist, Marcella Packard. As in Corpus Christi, she and her family became very active in the Westside Christian Church. Moving to Plano in 1986 allowed them to be closer to family and friends. It also provided the opportunity for more frequent trips to the family pine tree farm in Shelby County, Texas which she dearly loved.
As a result of living in various locations, Janice became quite interested in family history, including Ancestry DNA research. She also became fascinated with photography and became a skilled amateur photographer. After joining the American Alford Family Association (AAFA), she took on the job of official photographer. She began archiving a great number of their photographs, many being posted on the AAFA website and published in their quarterly journals. She prepared a 400+ page document recording the known North Carolina descendants of her Alford ancestors born in 1755 to the present time. Janice was most proud to have visited both the christening site in England of her 7th great grandfather, Reverand Benjamin Doggett (1636-1682), as well as his parish churches in Virginia.
A story of Janice’s life would not be complete without mention of her love for Pomeranian dogs. This lifelong passion began at an early age with Billy Wee and concluded with her beloved Rusty, who passed earlier this year.
Janice was preceded in death by her parents, Marion and Bonnie Lee., as well as a very special aunt, Bernice Doggett Bullock. Aunt Bee was very influential in Janice’s family’s lives. Survivors include her devoted husband John of 63 plus years, their devoted and loving sons, Charles Walter “Walt” Smith, Ronald Allen “Ronnie” Smith (Melanie), grandson Thomas Ryan Smith (Kyra), and great grandson Silas Orion Smith, and her cherished sister Carrie Lee Stogsdill Simpson (Bob). She was also “Aunt Neicy” (so nick-named by her sister) to Deborah Simpson Petty (Jim), Brenda Simpson Forssman (Erik), David Simpson (Laura), four step grandchildren, twelve step great grandchildren and multiple great nephews and nieces.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to Julliette Fowler Communities, 1234 Abrams Road, Dallas TX 75214, or to a favorite charity of choice.
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