Stephen "Steve" Ray Smith's Obituary
Stephen Ray Smith of Dallas, Texas, passed away on November 17th, 2020 of heart failure after a long battle with carcinoid cancer. He was 70 years old.
Born in 1950 to Clarence and Jane Smith, Steve (or “Smitty”) grew up in Pasadena, Texas with his older (but not bigger) brothers Jim and Phil. He was an athletic standout at Pasadena High School, where he earned All-District honors in football, and was a state finalist in the shot put. He attended SMU on a football scholarship, where he was a two-time letterman and a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. At SMU, he met his loving wife, Kathy, whom he married after graduation in 1973.
The couple eventually settled in Richardson, where they raised two exceptional, intelligent, and good-looking children: Dan and Natalie. Steve proudly followed his children’s milestones and accomplishments, always encouraging them to stop and take a minute to reflect on big moments in life. Sometimes strict, but never overbearing, he always let his children find their own ways (even when those ways became more circuitous than he might have liked). In later years, he enjoyed doting on his two grandchildren, Connor and Stella, who both already miss “Grandpa.” Steve also loved animals, and as Stella recently pointed out, “on the bright side, now Grandpa gets to be with Copper.”
Steve truly never met a stranger. He treated everyone with kindness and respect, which meant he was never short of friends and touched many lives. The family would like to thank the many friends and neighbors who have been so kind during this difficult time. We appreciate your compassion and support.
He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Kathy; son Dan Smith and wife Katie, and grandchildren Connor and Stella, of Richardson, Texas; daughter Natalie Smith of Lewisville, Texas; brother Jim Smith and wife Cathy of La Porte, Texas; brother Phil Smith and wife Sally of Riverside, California; nieces Jennifer, Courtney, and Ellen; and nephew Shawn. He was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Jane Smith of Pasadena, Texas.
We love you, Dad.
A livestream memorial service for Steve will be held Friday, November 27 at 2pm. Use this link to join the service: http://webcast.funeralvue.com/events/viewer/41338
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the American Cancer Society.
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