Ouachita County Louisiana Archives Obituaries.....ASHCRAFT, CATHERINE ANN  July 2, 2009
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Gina Brown http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00025.html#0006026 July 3, 2009, 8:36 pm

News Star World - July 03, 2009
CATHERINE ANN ASHCRAFT
Ralph Robinson & Son, Pine Bluff, AR

Catherine Ann Ashcraft Smith, 76, of Pine Bluff, died Thursday, July 2, 2009 
at Baptist Hospital in Little Rock.

She was born April 20, 1933 in Cleveland County, daughter of Don and Mabel 
Goggans Ashcraft.

Mrs. Smith was reared and received her early education in Rison, graduating 
from Rison High School. She earned her B.A. Degree from Arkansas A & M (now 
University of Arkansas at Monticello) and her Master's in Education from 
Ouachita Baptist University.

She taught school in Grapevine and at L.L. Owen Elementary in Watson Chapel 
for 40 years, retiring in 1994.

Mrs. Smith was preceded in death by her parents and husband, Henry J. Smith, 
whom she married April 4, 1953 in Rison.

Mrs. Smith enjoyed children and especially enjoyed watching them learn. She 
always said you haven't truly learned until you have taught someone else. Her 
students will remember her as strict but loving, and really hard. "No one can 
ever take away your education," she would say. She was a life long learner, as 
she was active in the Bible Study Fellowship at First Baptist Church of Pine 
Bluff at the time of her death. She enjoyed gardening vegetables and flowers 
and was a member of the Watson Chapel Garden Club. She also liked traveling 
with Henry all over the United States in her retirement years. Mrs. Smith 
moved to Trinity Village in 2005 and was Resident of the Month in March of 
this year. She was an avid St. Louis Cardinal fan and got to see her beloved 
Albert Pujols play at Busch Stadium for her last birthday. Nothing thrilled 
her more, however, than to watch her children and grandchildren play ball.

She was extremely devoted to her church, Salem Missionary Baptist Church, for 
over 50 years, and her marks are all over the church, inside and outside. 
Teaching Sunday School, playing the organ, serving on the building committee 
with Henry, and serving as church clerk were only the official capacities she 
held. She believed that we should be doers of the Word and not just hearers of 
the Word. Quoting scripture was a special way that she and Henry raised their 
children, and that continued until the day she died.

Survivors include her son, Dr. John Wayne Smith (Laura) of Hot Springs; three 
daughters, Lori Ann Johnson (Stan) of Pine Bluff, Lisa Catherine Bradley 
(Bill) of West Monroe, LA and Leslie Carol Williams (Billy) of White Hall; 
sister, Jane Cash Hankins of Pine Bluff; ten grandchildren, Melanie Smith, 
Melissa Smith, Drew Smith, Brad Johnson (Emily), Taylor Johnson, Natalie 
Johnson, Rachel Bradley, Rebecca Bradley, Micah Williams and Luke Williams; 
and three great-grandchildren, Becca, Gracie and Elam Johnson.

Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m., Saturday, July 4, 2009 at Salem 
Missionary Baptist Church with Reverend Howard Loetscher officiating. Burial 
will follow in Rowell Cemetery by Ralph Robinson & Son Funeral Directors. 
Visitation will be Friday evening from 6:00-8:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall 
of Salem Missionary Baptist Church.

Memorials may be made to Salem Missionary Baptist Church Building Fund, 5617 
Sulphur Springs Road, Pine Bluff, Arkansas 71603 or Charitable Christian 
Medical Clinic, 133 Arbor Street, Hot Springs, AR 71901-3535.


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/ouachita/obits/a/ashcraft358nob.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/lafiles/

File size: 3.9 Kb