Mark W. Smith, Jr. passed away after a brief illness on December 19, 2015 at the age of 79.
He was born March 29, 1936 to Marcus W. and Mary Bell Smith in Brownwood, Texas. He graduated from Brownwood High School in 1954 and attended Texas Western before eventually graduating from Howard Payne University in 1958.
On the day of his graduation, he married his sweetheart Janet, and they moved to Sacramento, California where their children were born. Mark worked as a Financial Projects Supervisor for Aerojet. In 1966, they moved their young family to Clint, Texas where Mark became a math teacher and started his coaching career as an assistant JV football coach at Clint High School. He quickly moved to basketball where he coached the Clint High girls’ team from 1967-88 as well as the boys’ team from 1973-77, amassing a combined record of 530-140. His passion for girls’ basketball led him to serve as president of the Texas Girls Coaches Association from 1981-82, and ultimately being inducted into its Hall of Fame in 2001. Coach Smith was known as a demanding but well-respected teacher and coach.Mark and Janet retired initially to Ruidoso, New Mexico, but returned to Brownwood in in 1995 and built a house on the lake. After Janet passed in 2011, Mark met his current wife Zelda with whom he had been happily married since 2012.
Mark enjoyed spending time traveling around the country. He loved golf and was quite a skilled player for many years, having success at the college level along with numerous amateur titles. While top level amateur golf was a fond memory, you could often find him at Brownwood Country Club playing a few holes and working on his game.
Mark was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Janet, and daughter in-law Cheryl Smith. He is survived by his wife Zelda Smith of Brownwood, sister Susan Cloud of San Antonio, son Scott Smith, daughter Brenda Vandivort, and son in-law Don Vandivort, all of Houston, granddaughters Erin Cushman of San Antonio and Audrey Smith of Houston, grandsons Bradley Smith of Austin and Kyle Vandivort of Houston, and great-granddaughter Caroline Elizabeth Cushman.
Funeral services will be held Sunday, December 27, 2015 at 2 pm at Heartland Funeral Home Chapel in Early. The family will receive friends Saturday from 5:00 until 7:00 at the funeral home. Burial will follow in Eastlawn Memorial Park.
We request that in lieu of flowers you consider a donation to the Shiners Hospitals for Children in his name.
Condolences can be offered to the family at heartlandfuneralhome.net.
