Betty Smith

Betty Ann Smith, 85, of Orange, passed away Feb. 15, in Orange. Funeral services will be at 10:00 AM, Friday, Feb. 19, at Fellowship Church of Christ, 3800 MLK in Orange. Officiating will be Tommy Gore of White House Church of Christ in Whitehouse, Tn, and Kevin Trinkle, chaplain at Baptist Hospital in Beaumont. Burial will follow at Orange Forest Lawn in Orange.

Visitation for family and friends will be from 5:00-8:00 PM, Thursday, at Claybar Funeral Home in Orange.

Born in New Orleans, La, Dec. 19, 1930, she was the daughter of Edward Granville and Elsie Sylvest Kliesch. Raised in Clifton, La, she graduated from Franklinton High School in 1948 and then attended the Mather School of Nursing in New Orleans, where she graduated in 1951. She worked as a nurse in New Orleans and Orange. Betty was a charter member of Fellowship Church of Christ and was always serving her community. During her life, she was a volunteer for Campfire, the soup kitchen at First Presbyterian Church and the American Red Cross. Betty also enjoyed camping and hiking with her friends and family, and she especially loved backpacking in the Grand Canyon.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, William Frank Kliesch and her son, Kreggor Smith.

She is survived by her husband of 57 years, Nathan Smith; daughter-in-law, Kim Smith, daughter and son-in-law Claire and Cullin Smith; son and daughter-in-law Brandt and Gloria Smith, all of Orange; grandchildren Krista, Kaycie, and Kody Smith, Josh Smith and Savanna Smith; sister and brother-in-law Janet and Ben Appleby of Spring Branch, sister Nancy Kliesch of Jackson, Ms. and best friend and caregiver Janis Hughey.

Serving as pallbearers will be Brad Smith, Dan Delaney, Byron Blair, Wayne McCamey, James Truncale and Dean Morphis. Honorary pallbearers are J.W. Wilkerson, Bob Forbes and Lee Coulter.

In lieu of flowers, Betty wished for donations to be made to the Fellowship Church of Christ, 3800 MLK, Orange, TX 77632.