John Ernest Smith's Obituary
John Ernest Smith, 66, of Friendswood, TX, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Sunday morning, February 5, 2023 after a short but hard fought battle with kidney cancer.
John was born May 15, 1956, in Houston, TX to Leslie Clyde Smith and Helen Esther Smith. He grew up in Denver Harbor, TX where he graduated from Furr High School in 1974. John graduated from Baylor University in 1978 and from Baylor University School of Law in 1980. He became Board Certified in Consumer Bankruptcy in 1989 and opened his own practice, John E. Smith & Associates, the same year. John was a member and three-term past president of the Houston Association of Debtor Attorneys. He was also a Master and previous co-chair of the Membership Committee of the Moeller/Foltz Inns of Court, an educational and social organization for top attorneys in the field of bankruptcy law.
If ever an obituary wasn’t possible to adequately capture a person’s life, it would be for John E. Smith. The great irony was always his name was John Smith but he was truly one of a kind. If you met him, you never forgot him and he never forgot you. He was a man of God with utmost integrity, and was kind, giving, wise, faithful beyond measure, witty, hard working, patient when it counted, dependable, always on time until he married his wife, loved people, and he remembered everything. Most people knew him for his sense of humor, his loyalty to his alma mater, Baylor University, his undying love, pride, and adoration for his family, and for his gifted heart for the Lord. If John liked you, he teased you. It was his love language. Oh how he loved being around people, laughing and talking and telling his stories. People brought him great joy. We truly couldn’t go anywhere without John running into someone he knew and it always meant a conversation would ensue.
John took great pride in being a Baylor Bear and if Aggies bleed maroon and white, he definitely bled green and gold. He had season tickets through the ugly years of Baylor football and loved watching his Baylor sports teams rise to the top. He knew every player by name and number and loved discussing them with his two sons. He also loved to spar with friends who supported other universities - always getting the last word in. He was honored to know his oldest son would follow in his footsteps by also attending Baylor University next year.
John loved his family fiercely and protectively. He was a loving son, grandson, brother, uncle, husband and dad. He was the family historian and keeper of all the old memories which he cherished and enjoyed sharing. He waited a long time to become a father himself, and he put a lifetime of love into the 18 years he had. His boys brought pride and joy to his life every day and if you talked to him long enough you knew it. A more proud and dedicated father could not be found here on this side of Heaven. John was just as devoted to his wife. He told her constantly she was the love of his life and he enjoyed proving it to her every day. He truly was the example for a loving husband and father. He always put their needs above his own. John was a master at showing them in all the little ways and big ways how much each of one of us meant to him.
All of the love John showed to those around him would not have been possible without his love for the Lord. John’s faith was unfailing. He was a rock to those all around him because he held on mightily to The Rock. Even in his darkest hour he trusted his Lord and Savior. John spent a lifetime serving the Church. He began teaching in the children’s department when he was just a teenager, and was known for always carrying his bible to school, earning him the nickname “Preacher”. John taught many Sunday school classes over the years, each one becoming a family of believers. He truly had a gift of explaining the Word of God, and was known and often teased for taking an extraordinarily long time to go over just a few verses. The more his class discussed the Scripture and asked questions, the better he knew the class went. He also took great joy in being a small group leader with the youth. Each one of those boys meant just as much to him as he did to them. He taught us well especially in his last days to Trust, no matter the circumstances.
John loved to cook, especially fried chicken and especially for the boys and their friends and only while listening to his music - a little bit of country, a lot of original Christian rock, and always Frank Sinatra. He loved the Houston Astros. He was an avid reader and enjoyed watching the black and white classic movies, googling what became of that actor during and after the movie every time. He never grew tired of John Wayne, Cary Grant, Jane Austen, Tolkien, or C. S. Lewis. But nothing compared to the joy of his favorite activity - watching his boys play baseball. He loved watching them do what they loved and he took great pride in seeing them out on the field, especially when they were on the mound. John never missed a practice, not just the games, when they were growing up. He moved his office closer to home so he could be there for every moment. And he was.
John is preceded in death by his father, Leslie Clyde Smith; his mother, Helen Esther Smith-Skinner; his brothers, Leslie Curtis Smith and Richard Smith; and his sister, Ruby Belle Smith Hodson.
He is survived by his loving wife of 19 years, Melissa Smith and their sons Jacob Smith and Michael Smith; his brother, Tim Smith, and wife, Christa; his sister, Janis and husband Bob Robbins; sister-in-law, Judy Smith; father-in-law, Lee Sackett; mother-in-law, Tricia and husband, Larry Hyek; brother-in-law, Russell Sackett and wife, Pam; brother-in-law Derek Hook and wife, Meagan; brother-in-law Kyle Sackett; sister-in-law Kara Sackett; sister-in-law Karly and husband, Troy Graham; his nephews, Les Smith, and wife Lisa; Brian Smith, and wife Dahnya; Josh Rogers, and wife Mindee; Derrick Robbins, and wife Grisel; Hayden Hallsted; Tatum Hook; and nieces, Mandi Smith; Angela, and husband, Thomas Connaughton; Morgan Sackett; Peyton Graham; many great nephews and nieces; his career long assistant, Estella Lopez and paralegal, Patricia Ford; and countless friends, extended family members, church family, Sunday school classes, colleagues, small group boys, and baseball fans.
“There are some who bring a light so bright to the world that even after they have gone the light remains”. - Unknown
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the John E. Smith Legacy Fund at Hometown Bank in Friendswood to support the boys’ college education.
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