Wilbur Lawrence Smither III

Wilbur Lawrence Smither III passed away on July 3, 2015 in Denver, Colorado following a brief illness. Born August 4, 1946 in Houston to Ruth Felder Henderson and Robert Bush Smither, he was reared in Huntsville. He went to Southern Methodist University where he majored in business/accounting and earned a B.A. and M.B.A. He joined the consulting practice of Arthur Andersen & Co. where he became a partner. In 1978, he married and became 'best buddies' with Martha Lynn Mossman. They spent many happy years traveling, golfing, being with family and friends and supporting each other's work and community activities. In 1987, he joined Blockbuster Video as Chief Information Officer and later moved to Mary Kay Cosmetics in the same capacity. In 1997, he was a Regional Managing Partner for the Year 2000 (Y2K) Practice of IBM and retired in 2000. Wilbur served on the board of The Winston School until present and was Board President for five years. Following retirement, he and Martha moved to Hot Springs Village, AR but maintained their Dallas connections. Both became active in the community, and Wilbur focused on how to help improve life in the Village. He served as the HSV POA Committee Chair of the Research and Strategic Planning Committee, Board President of the Friends of the Village and received jointly with Martha the POA President's Award for community service in 2012. He was always available for advice and counsel to those who served the community. In 2012, he initiated the Ouachita Speaker Series which brings thought-provoking speakers to the Village. Wilbur is preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Bob and John. He is survived by his wife Martha and sisters-in-law Trudie and Stephanie Smither. Trudie’s family includes Robert, Sallie and Mark Crotty and children Kate and Stephen, John Jackson Smither and wife Lauren and his son Cole and Mary Kate and husband Stephen Jeffries. Stephanie’s family includes John Kerr, son Amon Smither, Ashley and Curt Langley and their children Austin, Madison and Jack, and Paige and Todd Johnson and their sons, Wells, John David, Pierce, Hill and Blake. He embraced Martha’s family as his own. He was preceded in death by her parents Hobart and Betty Mossman and brother Stuart Mossman. Wilbur is survived by Stuart’s daughters, Rebecca and Dave Marcum, her children Evan, Tori, and Drew Risinger, his sons Cody and Josh Marcum and their daughter Gabi Marcum and Laura Nicholson and her children, Zoe, Jack and Sam. He adored his family and enjoyed being with them whenever possible. A memorial service will be Wednesday, July 8 at 2pm in HSV, Christ of the Hills Methodist Church. Interment will be Saturday, July 11 at 11:00 in Huntsville, TX, Oakwood Cemetery. Visitation at 10:00 at Sam Houston Memorial Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, please make gifts to the Wilbur and Martha Smither Music Education Room in the new Fine Arts Building of The Winston School, 5707 Royal Lane, Dallas, TX 75229 or to the Ouachita Speaker Series, P.O. Box 8132, Hot Springs Village, AR 71910. Memorial condolences may be made to the family at www.shmfh.com.

Wilbur Lawrence Smither III

August 4, 1946 - July 3, 2015