Jimmie Melville Smith

A memorial honoring Jimmie Melville Smith will be held 10 AM Monday, December 19 in the Great Room of the Rivercrest Event Center, 13329 S. Memorial Drive in Bixby. Military honors will be provided by the Ft. Sill Honor Guard. He passed away Friday, November 18, 2022 at Saint Francis Hospital South in Tulsa. He was 92 years old.

Born April 29, 1930 in Bunch, Oklahoma, Jimmie was the son of Jess and Catherine (Cribbs) Smith. The youngest of three children, Jimmie always remained close with his brother and sister, Jess and Jane. As a teenager, Jimmie would leave Adair County for Tulsa where he graduated from Webster High School. He loved his motorcycles and leather jackets from an early age. Jimmie served honorably in the U.S. Army as well as the Marine Corps.

It was a blind date at a cookout where Jimmie would meet Doris La-June Lynch. The couple were married May 10, 1957 in Tulsa. They just celebrated 65 years of marriage together.

Jimmie began his career with Western Electric and eventually joined GTE Telecommunications Company. It was there he worked his way up the ladder into management, primarily taking care of transport for the circuit lines. Jimmie traveled extensively and retired with over 40 years of service to GTE.

During retirement, Jimmie didn’t have any problem staying busy. He operated heavy equipment for several years while preparing properties for new home construction. Jimmie had quite the green thumb in his garden, always sharing an assortment of vegetables with most everyone he knew. He also enjoyed woodworking in his shop behind his home. Jimmie made the most beautiful rocking horses for his grandchildren.

Jimmie was a member of the Broken Arrow Masonic Lodge #243 AF & AM where he received his 50-Year Pin in 2015. He was also a Scottish Rite Mason and a Shriner.

A wonderful husband, father, and grandfather, Jimmie was always known to be a provider for his family. He was strong-willed, onery, and never met a stranger. May Jimmie’s memory be eternal in the hearts of all who knew and loved him.

Surviving family include wife, Doris La-June Smith; his three children: Cathy-Jo Thompson, Deena Chappell and husband, Mike, and Steven Smith; his beloved grandchildren: Kimmie Roberts and husband, Patrick, Brandon Chappell and fiancé, Chloe, Candace Terry and husband, Jeff, Nathan Chappell and wife, Rachel, Josh Chappell, Jamie Thompson, Tait Smith, and Emma Smith; and his great grandchildren, Terran and Owen Terry, and Patrick Jr. and Katie Roberts.

Jimmie was preceded in death by his parents and his two siblings.
 

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