Susan Kay (Alexander) Smith

Susan Kay (Alexander) Smith was born at 7:05 p.m. on June 21, 1938, at Morningside Hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The daughter of Earl Kenneth Alexander and Opal Lois (Barnes) Alexander, she was raised as an only child. They lived at 1341 East 34th Street in South Tulsa (Brookside) before moving to Fort Smith, Arkansas, in 1957.

She attended the neighborhood elementary school and junior high, and graduated from Tulsa High School in 1956. Susan enrolled at Oklahoma State University for one year but transferred to the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, where she met and married Ronald Smith of Booneville on August 15, 1959.

They raised three children:

Son Gregory Smith, who is the father of daughters Lacey Sirk (Isaac) and Hannah Smith of Booneville, and son Clinton Smith of Waveland.

Daughter Jamie Ervin (Randy) of Centerton, who are the parents of sons Isaac and Taylor Ervin (Savannah) of Russellville.

Daughter Stephanie Smith, mother of daughter O’Hara Duncan of Lavaca.

Great-grandchildren are Jonah, River, and sister Ezra Sirk.

Susan was an excellent mother and grandmother who loved and was loved by all of her family. She was a faithful, loving, and loyal life partner to her husband for 65 years.

As a Walmart Associate for 14 years, the highlight of her career was a tour of the Waltons’ personal home in Bentonville. She discovered that they used Walmart plastic shopping bags to line their trash baskets, just as she did.

Being a homemaker was her priority, and she was good at it. Her home was always so clean and well organized one would wonder if she didn’t have a touch of OCD.

Second in importance was working outside in the flowerbeds. Gerbera daisies were a favorite, but weeds and dandelions were the enemy. She never met a weed that didn’t get pulled or a plant that didn’t need watering.

She was a good cook (self-taught) and mostly used recipes. Baking was probably her favorite rather than meal preparation.

Susan was gifted with some artistic talents and dabbled in many: sewing for the girls, ornaments for different holidays, and needlepoint. She enjoyed attending craft fairs with her daughters.

She could be difficult and stubborn sometimes and, like her mother, did not embrace change or inconvenience readily. But like her dad, she was very kind and generous most of the time.

She loved the Lord and was a faithful supporter of her church. She became a follower of Christ while attending a Presbyterian church camp for junior high kids. A person who was quiet about her faith, Susan would want you to know that the most important decision you will ever make is to put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ if your desire is for heaven to be your eternal destination.

Even though cancer ravaged her body, for as long as she possibly could she spent her final days doing what made her happy: sweeping and mopping floors, cleaning the bathrooms, and doing laundry.

Her soul entered heaven after 1:30 a.m. on September 14, 2025.

2 Timothy 4:6–8

No flowers, please. We support the following ministries: First Baptist Lavaca Legacy Fund, Hope Rising Christian Home, First Choice Pregnancy Medical Center, River Valley Regional Food Bank, and Good Samaritan Medical Clinic.

Susan is to be interred into the Fort Smith National Cemetery on at 10:00 a.m. Friday, September 26, 2025. A worship, praise, and thanksgiving service will be held in Susan’s memory at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 27, 2025 at First Baptist Church of Lavaca. She will be interred at the National Cemetery on Friday, September 26, and friends are not expected, but are welcome to attend.