SMACKOVER — Helen Hughes Smith
joined her Lord and Savior on Monday, December 18, 2023 after a lengthy illness.
Helen was born on February 22, 1930 to the union of Willie P. and Ruth Talley Hughes at Liberty, Ark., Ouachita County. She attended school at Liberty, Louann, Rose Hill and graduated from El Dorado High School at the age of 16. She had already been working at Exchange Bank in El Dorado, so she continued that job until she received a telegram saying there was a job at Smackover State Bank. She got that job and worked there for 13 years. After taking the summer off to teach her girls how to cook and clean house, she went to work as a bookkeeper with Mr. Homer T. Rogers. Helen and Faye McNeely opened McNeely and Smith Bookkeeping Services, where she retired at the age of 82. She loved her work and was always happy to serve the public.
On March 18, 1950 Helen married her soulmate F. Melva Smith. They were married for 58 years until Melva passed away. Melva and Helen had two daughters, Kathy McMenis and Kaye Tolin. Melva and Helen were very active in their daughter’s lives, supporting all their activities at both school and church.
Helen gave her life to the Lord as a young teenager. She was baptized at Ebenezer Baptist Church in El Dorado, Ark. Melva and Helen joined Maple Avenue Baptist Church in 1956 and remained as members there until their deaths.
Helen was preceded in death by her brother, Billy C. Hughes, a brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Lewis and Joyce Gardner, brother-in-law, Fred Glaeser; and sonin-law, Robert C. McMenis.
She is survived by two daughters, Kathy McMenis and Kaye Tolin and husband, Tim; Seven grandchildren, Tim Tolin (Heidi), Leah Boyce, Tish McKnight (Casey), John Kevin Tolin (Trish), Chad McMenis, Todd McMenis and Blake McMenis.
She was blessed with 15 great-grandchildren, Jase Saulsbury (Mariah), Kaine McKnight (Sarah), Ivy Tolin (Aaron), Brennan McKnight, Jillian McKnight, Brooks Tolin, Breanne Boyce, Jewel Tolin, Sarah McMenis, Adriel McMenis, Jet Tolin, August Tolin, Zaden McMenis, Maiya Simmons and Silas McMenis; and three great-great grandchildren, Grayson Saulsbury, Mary Katherine McKnight and Pete Saulsbury; and two sister-in laws, Betty Sue Glaeser and Beatrice Hughes.
Visitation will be held from 1-2 p.m. Wednesday, December 20, 2023 at Maple Avenue Baptist Church. Funeral services will immediately follow with Rev. David Laird and Rev. Lyle Hearn officiating. Burial will be held at Liberty Methodist Cemetery in Louann under the direction of Young’s Funeral Directors.
The family requests no flowers, but memorials may be made to Maple Avenue Baptist Church, 1306 Maple Avenue, Smackover, Ark., 71762, Liberty Methodist Church, P.O. Box 243, Smackover, Ark., 71762, or to Liberty Cemetery Association, P.O. Box 304, Smackover, Ark., 71762.
The family would like to thank Dr. Lawrence Braden, the
Ouachita County Medical Center Hospice, and the sitters of Sweet Home Elderly Services for the excellent care given to our Mother for the past nine months.
Condolences can be expressed online at www.youngsfuneralhome.com for the Smith family.