Mary Alice Smith of Karnack, Texas, aged 85, passed away on July 13, 2022, in Longview, Texas. She was born August 17, 1936, in Marshall, Texas to Leonard Brian Jones and Daisy Alice Williams Jones. She grew up in Marshall's old "North Side" neighborhood and attended school in Marshall. She married Richard Anderson Smith Jr. of Marshall in 1953. Mary Alice had a long career working for the State of Louisiana and retired from the Louisiana State University School of Medicine in Shreveport in 1999. After retirement she was very active in her church, First Baptist Church of Karnack, and acted as church secretary for many years. Her husband Richard was a deacon in the church, and both could be found every Sunday morning up in the choir. She also did mission work including a construction trip to the island of Guadalupe where she received praise and special recognition for "feeding the masses" as a cook for the other members of their group. She was loved and admired by her entire family for her sweet disposition and sunny outlook in every situation. She especially enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her favorite pastimes were quilting, sewing, photography, and most of all traveling. After retirement she and her husband traveled the country on Amtrak eventually covering every mile of track nationwide. They also enjoyed travelling and camping in their RV.  Mary was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, a daughter Lucy Tress, and three sisters, Laverne Outland, Faye Hendricks, and Betty Barclay. Left to cherish her memory are her children Richard "Andy" Smith and wife Renee of Longview, Steve Smith and wife Lisa of Marshall, and Michael Smith and Sydney Fletcher of Marshall. One brother, L.B. Jones of Collinsville and one sister, Rose Marie Mitchell of Linden, Texas also survive her. She is also survived by eight grandchildren, Anisha Anderson, Eric Anderson, Kevin Anderson, Richard Smith, David Smith, Cole Smith, Catie Morris, and Titus Tress along with six great-grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren. Other surviving family members include numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins scattered all around the country. Mary had a special bond with two of her nieces by marriage, Nita Hill of Elysian Fields and Kay Perot of Karnack, and loved them like her own children.

Family visitation for Mary Alice Smith will be Sunday July 17 at Downs Funeral Home in Marshall from 5 pm to 7 pm with graveside funeral services at Andrews Cemetery in Karnack on Monday July 18 at 10 am. Her six grandsons will serve as pallbearers.

The family would like to give special thanks to Heartsway Hospice and Treviso Transitional Care in Longview for their outstanding care during her long battle with illness.

In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations be made to First Baptist Church of Karnack.