Dapper, flexible, easy-going, dangerous, gentle, tough, patriot, soldier, father, grandfather, highway patrolman, safety officer, radio DJ, state director, Lt. Colonel, son, nephew, cousin, father-in-law, and friend are all words used to describe our Pop. Jerry Floyd Smith was born to Vasta Mae (Stewart) Smith and Willis Earl Smith September 2, 1930 in a four-room country house in Lamar County, near Paris, Texas, and passed away May 31, 2017 at the age of 86 after a long battle with Parkinsons Disease and CHF. Jerry was a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, so is now in heaven joining his wife Oletha Eulene and parents who pre-deceased him. He is survived by his daughter Sandra (Smith) Parker and son-in-law Charles Parker of Sugar Land, Texas; son Gregory M. Smith and daughter-in-law Julia Smith of Irving; grandchildren Ashley (Parker) Kilday of Richmond, Texas, Whitney (Parker) Dittman of College Station, Emily Elise Parker of Sugar Land, Spencer Michael Smith of Irving, and Sarah Katelyn Smith of Waxahachie; and great-grand-children Kelly, Darcy, and Brigid Kilday of Richmond. Jerry graduated from Paris High School and attended Paris JC and later Texas Tech University. After picking cotton, selling newspapers to WWII soldiers at Camp Maxey, and sowing a few wild oats (for which the statute of limitations has now run as he occasionally reminded us), Jerry had a short stint as a radio disc jockey in Sweetwater, Texas. Then in 1952 he became a highway patrolman for the Texas DPS where he served for 18 years. While a patrolman, he met his bride Eulene Winton in Bowie, Texas on a blind date. The couple resided in Archer City, then Sherman where they lived when their two children arrived. After moving to Houston for a short time, they returned to the north Texas area in about 1967 to live in Irving, where they continued to reside for the remainder of their lives. The Smiths were members of and attended Plymouth Park Baptist Church. The couple celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary in 2005 a few days early, just prior to Eulenes home-going. Jerry spent his last years at Brookdale, Irving, where he was a favorite among his caregivers and nurses. While in the DPS, in addition to capturing one of the FBIs most wanted criminals Gene Paul Norris, Jerry taught defensive driving and became an expert safety investigator. This led him to a career as a Safety Director with Shamrock Van Lines, then to a 25-year career with Uncle Sam in the Federal Department of Transportation Federal Highway Safety Administration, where he rode herd on trucking company safety. Eventually, he was made the State Director for the DOT FHSA in Austin. In addition to all these jobs, Jerry also was a proud career reservist for many years in the Texas Army National Guard, where he achieved the rank of Lt. Colonel prior to his retirement. During his time in the service he was an expert pistol marksman and State Champion winning many trophies, and he took a leadership role in supply and logistics. He was placed on active duty during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Berlin Crisis during the Kennedy years. In retirement, Jerry enjoyed visiting his children and grandchildren in their homes and having them in his home as much as possible, caring for his granddaughter Whitney as an infant, and spending time at his ranch in Montague County. Jerry had a great career in law enforcement serving his country faithfully. But first and foremost he was an incredibly loving husband, father, and grandfather to his family. Jerry always wanted to give to others first. His bright eyes and sweet smile will be missed by all. The family will receive friends on Friday, June 2 from 7:00-9:00 p.m. at Donnelly's Colonial Funeral Home. Funeral services are set for 11:00 a.m. Saturday, June 3 in the funeral home chapel. Interment at Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery on Tuesday, June 6. SERVICES

Visitation

Friday, June 02, 2017 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Donnelly's Colonial Funeral Home 606 West Airport Freeway Irving, Texas 75062

Funeral Service

Saturday, June 03, 2017 11:00 AM

Donnelly's Colonial Funeral Home 606 West Airport Freeway Irving, Texas 75062