Connie Dee Smith

SMITH, Connie Dee Smith (Saunders) devoted wife and loving mother, embraced her Lord and Savior on May 21, 2010 after a brief illness. Connie was born to Luther and Viola Saunders on April 29, 1934 in Farwell, TX. She was raised on a dairy farm near Portales, NM and graduated from Portales high School in 1953. During the Korean War, she worked as a bookkeeper at Holloman AFB near Alamogordo. It was during this time that she met the love of her life, Doyle Wayne Smith, a young sailor home on leave from the service. After the war, Connie and Wayne married on August 7, 1955 in Tularosa, NM and relocated to Albuquerque soon after. Connie worked for many years in retail sales in Albuquerque, most notably for House of Fabrics and Montgomery Ward, both at the old Winrock Mall. She was known as a hardworking loyal employee who made many friends and long time customers. She retired from retail sales in 1999. Connie was a member of the Heights Church of Christ in Albuquerque for over 40 years. Her faith has provided inspiration to many of her friends and family over the years and she has always lived her life according to God's Word and with His guidance. Connie was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Melba and her husband, Frank; and nephews Danny Thompson and Troy Bridge. She is survived by her soul mate husband, Wayne; daughter Lillie Everts and husband Mark of Rio Rancho; niece Sharon Bridge and husband Roy of Eldorado Hills, CA; and nephew Larry Thompson and niece, Karen Thompson, both of Blackfoot, ID. Additional survivors include brother-in-law Charles Smith and wife Phyllis of Grand Prairie, TX; sister-in-law Tommie McCollum of Amarillo, TX; niece Sheryl Dumas and husband Adam of Colleyille, TX; nephew, Fred Ervin and wife Cindy of Amarillo, TX and nephew; Michael Ervin of Grapevine, TX. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, May 25, 2010 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 10:00am, all at Daniels Family Funeral Service Carlisle Chapel. Interment will be at Santa Fe National Cemetery at 1:00pm. Please share your condolences, sympathies and memories with the family at: www.danielsfuneral.com. Connie's care has been entrusted to Daniels Family Funeral Service, 3113 Carlisle Boulevard, NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87110 (505) 884-1188.