Phyllis Smith

Phyllis Smith, 59, of Atkins, Arkansas, passed away Friday, January 8, 2016, at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Little Rock. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Wednesday, January 13, 2016 in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel for Mrs. Phyllis Smith, from Arkansas. Richard Williams of the Church of Christ of Groesbeck will officiate at the service, and burial will follow in Old Bethel Cemetery. Pallbearers are Chris Smith, Jessie Siders, Thomas Lanford, Thom Lanford, Jim Howe, and Mike Whaley. A memorial visitation had been held earlier on Monday, January 11, at Lemley Chapel in Atkins, Arkansas. Phyllis is the daughter of Helyn Webb, who formerly lived in Groesbeck for many years. Phyllis was born July 19, 1956, in Mexia. While growing up, the family lived in Mexia, Groesbeck and several other places. While Phyllis was in high school in Portland she met her future husband. Phyllis was united in marriage with Marcus Smith in Portland on August 2, 1974. They made their home in Corpus Christi and the surrounding area, until moving to Arkansas in 2004. Phyllis attended the Episcopalian Church. One thing she really enjoyed was playing tennis with her kids and friends. She loved anything with peacock feathers or that had a peacock design, and she loved purple iris. Phyllis worked in banking most of her adult life, from a teller to bookkeeping, both in Texas and after she moved to Atkins, Arkansas. Although she was stubborn in doing what she decided to do, which was a strength in battling her prolonged illness, she was no longer able to work after her health continued to fail for the past few years. After Phyllis and Marcus moved to Arkansas, eventually her children and grandchildren moved to the area also. She loved being near the grandchildren; it was her pleasure to spend every cent she had on them. She lived for her family. She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Dolly Freeman and Jesse Freeman; brother, Ricky Whaley; step-father, Jim Howe; and a nephew, Corey Parks. She is survived by her husband, Marcus Smith of Atkins, Arkansas; 2 daughters, Leila Smith (Charles Pitts) and Jennifer Smith; son, Christopher Smith and wife Beverly; mother, Helyn Webb of Austin; 9 grandchildren, Serena, Jesse, Jasmine, Zolectra, Heaven, Brittany, Dustin, Sean, and Payton; and a great-grandchild, Aiden; and her first cousins, Roger and wife Shirley Freeman of Groesbeck and other extended family in Groesbeck, TX. She also leaves behind brothers and sisters and their families: Mike and Regina Whaley of Atkins, Arkansas; Wanda and Brian Smith of Corpus Christi, TX; Elizabeth and Tom Lanford of Austin, TX; Jim Howe of Edna; Ken and Sandy Dalton of Pennsylvania; and Faye Whaley of Ingleside, TX and all her nieces and nephews.