JUDY JANE (BELL) SMITH
Judy Jane (Bell) Smith, age 91, passed peacefully into the arms of her Savior on Feb. 22, 2025, in Childress, Texas. Judy died just as she lived - surrounded by her family, in a room full of love and faith.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m., Monday, Feb. 24, 2025, at the Childress First Baptist Church, with her son, Stran T. Smith officiating. Graveside services immediately followed in the Tell Baptist Cemetery in Tell, Texas, under the direction of Johnson Funeral Home. A family visitation was held from 6-8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, at Johnson Funeral Home.
Judy was born on Sept. 11, 1933, to Homer Edward Bell and Murtie (Patterson) Bell in Estelline, Texas. She was the third of four siblings raised on the Bell’s family farm in Estelline. Judy attended Estelline High School, where she was active in many different activities and met the love of her life, Clifton Smith. Clifton and Judy graduated in 1950, and in 1952, they decided to elope to Hollis, Okla., followed by a short honeymoon in Amarillo, Texas.
Clifton and Judy made their home on the Smith family ranch near Tell and raised their five children there, Susan “Susy” Jane, Steve “Smitty,” Sharon “Shari” Dale, Sealy and Stran T. The couple ranched with Clifton’s parents, Will T. and Mildred, and Clifton also worked a job with the railroad in Childress.
In 1967, there was a restaurant for sale in Childress, and Judy thought it would be a good business. Clifton disagreed. One day, she went to town and called him to tell him to meet her. He said, “Judy, you better not have bought that restaurant!” She replied, “Bring your checkbook.” Judy always knew how to win a disagreement with Clifton! Her instincts turned out to be right, however, and the Smith family spent many years successfully operating restaurants in Childress. They started with the Ranchhouse Restaurant in 1967, followed by Smith’s Chaparral in 1976 and Silversmith’s Restaurant in 1986. The family also operated the Bridal Bit Gift Shop for several years.
In 1988, Judy got her real estate license, joining her daughters, Susy and Sealy, and later, Shari, in the real estate business. The family opened Smith Realty in 1999 and enjoyed working together for many years.
When she wasn’t busy raising children and running businesses, Judy enjoyed social groups and community involvement. In 1977, she was a proud member of the W’s - Women Who Want to be Women, a conservative women’s political organization that opposed the ERA and advocated for traditional family values. Judy was also a member of the local Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, and after retirement, she enjoyed playing bridge with the ladies weekly. Above all else, however, Judy valued her faith the most. She was a longtime member of Tell Baptist Church, where she led the women’s Bible study group. Teaching Bible study was the catalyst to Judy digging deep into her Bible and studying it with intensity. Her legacy of faith is deeply embedded into her family, and she never missed an opportunity to talk to everyone about the Lord whenever she felt led, which was often. Even in her last days, Judy was intent on sharing the love of Jesus with those she felt the Holy Spirit laid on her heart.
Judy delighted in her role as a mother, and even more so in her role as a grandmother, where she was known as “Meme.” She was her family’s biggest cheerleader, attending countless rodeos, ropings, ball games, recitals and pageants over the years. Altogether, her family members have accumulated 31 world championships and countless National Finals Rodeo qualifications. When travel became too difficult, Judy and Clifton tuned into the Cowboy Channel for hours on end, as well as competitions on the radio and social media, watching and cheering for their grandchildren as they competed.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Homer Edward and Murtie Bell; father- in-law Will T. Smith; mother- in-law Mildred Smith; sister Norma Jean “Sissy” Madias; brother JL Bell; and great-granddaughter Story Vest.
Judy is survived by her husband, Clifton Smith; one brother and sister-inlaw, Will Ed and Denise Bell; daughter Susan Jane “Susy” Smith; granddaughter, Yanci Jane McGregor, husband Christopher and great-grandsons Sterling and Kingston Mc-Gregor; grandson Yandy Yarbrough, wife Bobbi and great-granddaughters Yaleigh and Y’leigh Yarbrough; granddaughter Yaci Coleman, husband Kelvin, great-granddaughters Cayzli Wilson and Brooklynn Coleman and great-grandson KJ Coleman; son Steve “Smitty” Smith and wife Rosemary; daughter Shari Smith Cooper; granddaughter Shada Jane Brazile, husband Trevor, great-grandson Treston Brazile and great-granddaughters Style Bell Brazile and Swayzi Jane Brazile; grandson Clif Cooper, wife Terryn and great-granddaughter Ceattle Rose Cooper; grandson Tuf Cooper, wife Tiffany and great-granddaughter Tru Fashion Cooper; daughter Sealy Smith Vest and companion Steve Britten; grandson Vandon Vest, wife Soni, great-grandson Volan Vest and great-granddaughter Valley Vest; grandson Stetson Vest, wife Chenae and great-granddaughters Stetlee Vest and Calvery Vest; grandson Sawyer Vest, wife Whitney, great-grandson Swayde Vest and great-granddaughter Whitness Vest; and son Stran T. Smith, wife Jennifer, grandson Stone T. Smith and wife Kaitlyn, grandson Scout Thomas Smith and granddaughter Selah Trinity Smith.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you make donations to Tell Southside Baptist Church (14892 FM 2042, Tell, TX 79259) or Tell Cemetery (P.O. Box 134, Childress, TX 79201).
