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Gary LeRoy Smith passed away January 10, in Lewisville, TX, with his family by his side. He was 70 years of age. Gary was born on February 9, 1946, in Ponca City, to LeRoy and Lorita Smith. He was blessed with three siblings, all still living: Lori Byrd, Charles Smith, and Marilyn Steinberg.
While attending Ponca City High School, he worked part time at the Poncan and Capri theatres in addition to working at Smitty's Men's Wear. He was also a Wildcat baseball and tennis athlete, and one of an elite group of three of the first male cheerleaders in the history of the Po-Hi Cheer Squad.
Graduating in 1964, Gary attended Northwestern State College in Alva, moving on to Oklahoma State University before enlisting in the U.S Army in 1967. After completing a tour of duty in Vietnam, he maintained his service in the Army Reserve to command the 486th Civil Affairs Battalion full time, serving on active duty when needed. In this position, Gary went to Germany five or six times per year well into the late 1980s to command the U.S. Liaison teams assigned to the Belgian and German armed forces. Later he was attached to the U.S. Embassy in Barbados for a six-month tour to assemble a U.S. foreign project for the lower Caribbean. Then living in Tulsa, he left the reserves and active duty as a Lieutenant Colonel after more than 27 years of active military service for his country. He had graduated from the University of Tulsa in 1974 with a degree in political science, thereafter continuing to pursue many entrepreneurial opportunities, landing him in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, and later in the Dallas area. In August of 2013, he decided he would finally retire again, this time from all of his civilian pursuits, which were many.
Gary took leave from Vietnam to marry Barbara Eiseman in 1967. Their daughter Kimberly Paige was born in 1970, and son Jeffrey Carson was born in 1974.
Gary and Kendra (formerly Silkey) married October 13, 1990, and enjoyed many adventures together, including sailing and SCUBA diving off the coast of St. Thomas, where they lived for eight years. He was also an avid golfer, playing at least once or twice per week. Out of all his pursuits, Gary probably enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren the most. He loved playing with Ariel, Tabi, Maddie, Carson, Nicolas, Taylor, Macie, Lyndi, Alex, Austen, and Brein whenever he got the chance to do so.
Gary was preceded in death by his parents; grandparents Ival and Viola Ladusau; and Bruce and Nellie Smith.
He is survived by his wife, Kendra; his daughter Paige and her husband Jeff Bilyeu; his son Jeff and wife Rachael; his grandchildren; step children, Alison Maxson and husband Tyler and Carissa Arutunoff; his siblings; and several nieces and nephews.
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