Smith, Bennie Ruth Sims 
  	
DAINGERFIELD -- A memorial service for Bennie Ruth Sims Smith, 
78, of Longview, will be held 11 a.m. Friday, December 15, 2006, 
at Walnut Creek Baptist Church in Diana, with the Rev. Joe Parnell 
and the Rev. Perry Crisp officiating. Bennie passed away peacefully 
December 10, 2006, at her home with her family. She is now in her 
heavenly home with her Lord Jesus Christ. She was born June 7, 1928, 
in Benton, Arkansas, to Jim and Mae Sims. Bennie had been a resident 
of Longview, Texas, since 1979. Prior to moving to Longview, she 
lived in Daingerfield for 23 years. Bennie was a registered nurse, 
having graduated in 1949 from Arkansas Baptist Hospital School of 
Nursing in Little Rock, Arkansas. Bennie served as past president of 
Pandora Study Club and the Daingerfield High School Band Boosters Club. 
She was past director of the Daingerfield Retail Merchants Association 
and the Daingerfield Community Center, served on the Committee for 
Aging for Morris County, and was a past member of the Tri-County Medical 
Auxiliary. She was manager for Towne Lake Homeowners Association in 
Longview from 1989-2001. Bennie was a member of Mobberly Baptist Church. 
Bennie's first love was her family, followed by her many wonderful 
friends. She loved to travel, socialize with her friends, and keep 
mentally and physically active. Bennie loved her faithful and loving 
dog, Precious. Bennie also loved to watch the Arkansas Razorback football 
team. Bennie was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Nancy Lee May; 
and nephew, James May. Survivors are her son, Donald Robert Smith Jr. of 
United Arab Emirates; daughter and son-in-law, Judy and Kirk Yocom of 
Diana; and son, Greer Alan Smith of Tyler. Bennie is also survived by her 
two grandchildren, Luke Logan Yocom of Longview, and Meredith Grace Pate 
of Tyler; great-grandson, Cayden Cole Pate of Tyler; sister, Barbara Sims 
of Houston; and two nieces, Ruth Lewis of Sacramento, California, and 
Marian Volkerding of Houston. Her family would like to thank Dr. Larry 
Frase, Dr. Kenneth Flory, Sharon Tims, and Heart'sWay Hospice for their 
excellent and compassionate care. If so desired, in lieu of flowers, 
memorial contributions may be made to Heart'sWay Hospice of Longview, or 
the American Cancer Society.

Published in the Longview News-Journal on 12/13/2006.