Eva Viola Smith

January 10, 1931 - January 19, 2020

Services for Eva Viola Smith, 89, of Tyler will be held on Friday, January 24, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. in the Stewart Family Funeral Home Chapel with Dr. Doug Baker officiating. Eva passed away Sunday, January 19, 2020 in Tyler after a brief illness. She was born on January 10, 1931, at home on the family farm outside Bois D’Arc, Missouri to Orren Mills and Alice Breazeale Mills, and graduated from Bois D’Arc High School in 1948. After marrying Otto C. Smith in 1956, they landed in Tulsa Oklahoma in 1966, where they remained until 2011. In Tulsa, Eva and Otto raised 3 sons and were active at First United Methodist Church. Eva graduated from the University of Tulsa in 1973 and loved elementary teaching in the Tulsa Independent School District until 1993. Eva and Otto moved to Tyler, Texas in 2011. In Tyler, Eva is remembered as a loyal fan of her grandsons as they participated in sporting events. Her ability to swiftly navigate her walker up the Faulkner Park ramps was legendary. In later years, as her vision faded, she used her binoculars to watch the baseball games at Mike Carter Field. Most importantly, Eva was a woman of great faith and spoke frequently of her eagerness to be with Jesus. Hearing of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren’s faith in Jesus brought great joy to her. Eva was a member of Marvin United Methodist Church in Tyler and was popular at Meadowlake Retirement Community. Eva is survived by her loving family including her husband, Otto “Bud” and their sons and wives, Travis and Suzy Smith of Oklahoma City, Tim and Tina Smith of Tulsa, and Thomas and Pam Smith of Tyler; eight grandchildren, Heather Denove and her husband Chris, Hunter Smith and his wife Laura, Madison Lynch and her husband Grayson, Micah Smith, Logan Smith, Dylan Smith, Caden Smith, and Ethan Smith; and two great-grandchildren Nash and Sadie Denove. Honorary pallbearers will be her grandsons, Hunter Smith, Logan Smith, Dylan Smith, Caden Smith and Ethan Smith. Visitation is scheduled from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. on Friday, January 24, 2020 at Stewart Family Funeral Home, 7525 Old Jacksonville Highway, in Tyler. If desired, memorials may be made to The Hospice of East Texas Foundation at 4111 University, Tyler, TX 75701