Forrest Eugene Smith

Forrest Eugene Smith went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Wednesday, August 8, 2007 after a brief illness. He was born in Avant, OK on March 14, 1925 to Dr. Leo L. and Mabel Smith. He was the youngest of three brothers, Robert and Kenneth.

His family moved to Oklahoma City when Forrest was four years old, where he graduated from high school.

Immediately afterward, he volunteered for the U.S. Marine Corps. He became a U.S. Marine during WWII and spent a year in occupied Japan immediately following the war. Forrest graduated from Southern Methodist University and became a registered civil engineer.

Forrest married Elizabeth Lee Whitney "Betsy" in Durant, OK on April 7, 1951. They lived in Irving, Texas for a short time before they moved to Dallas and lived there until 1977. Forrest worked for Texaco for several years. He did engineering work in Dallas and later had his own consulting firm.

He and his family moved to Athens in 1977 where he worked as an engineer on contract through the family corporation and was employed by the City of DeSoto and later the City of Palestine for many years. He retired in 2000.

He is survived by his wife Betsy, sons Robert Scott Smith of Austin and Forrest Whitney Smith of Coppell; daughters Samantha Susan Smith of Tyler and Stephanie Shannon Smith Webb and son-in-law R. Andrew Webb of Coppell. He has five grandchildren, Dinah Smith, Chandler Webb, Christen Webb, Casey Webb, and Jonathan Forrest Webb. He is also survived by two nieces, Martha Clark of Midwest City, OK and Linda Stein of Jones, OK.

He was preceded in death by infant daughter, Lissa Ann Smith; his parents; his brothers Robert and Kenneth; and his beloved mother-in-law, Lucille Whitney.

He was a strong believer in Jesus Christ and loved his family dearly. A memorial service was held Saturday at 2:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Athens with the Reverend Joe Warren officiating.

If desired, the family requests that memorials be made to the First Presbyterian Church of Athens, Texas.