Retha Lois Griffis Smith was born on October 6, 1957, in Jasper County, Kirbyville, TX. She passed from this life into life everlasting on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at the age of 67. Her parents were Nealy and Estelle (May) Griffis of Buna, TX. Born into a large family of children, 5 boys and 5 girls, she had the honor of being the “baby” of the family. She attended school in Buna and after graduation attended college for a short while before entering the work force. Her early career was centered mostly in retail during the time she was raising her two children. After retirement from Walmart, she served as a church secretary and later in life she became an in-home caregiver.
Retha married the love of her life, Leroy Smith, on May 25, 2005, and they shared 10 wonderful years together before his passing. Retha, lovingly called Meme by many, had several interests. She loved to travel and pal around with her older sister, Barbara and would often load up a van with grandkids and take them on camping road trips. She loved to sing and praise her Lord, Jesus Christ, whom she came to know personally, as her Savior at the age of 13. Her life was always centered on her God and service to Him and on her family. She attended the North End United Pentecostal Church of Evadale where she served many years as a Sunday School teacher and youth leader and sang in the choir. She played piano and knew most of the hymnal by heart. Retha also loved to sew and quilt and was always making crafts & gift baskets to be used as fundraisers for her church or mission trips. She could make the best peanut brittle!
During the last year of her life, she bravely fought the fight against cancer and was scheduled to ring the bell, proclaiming she was cancer-free. Her passing was from an unexpected illness that her weakened immune system could not overcome. However, she is now with her Lord in Heaven and reunited with Leroy and other loved ones. She is an OVERCOMER!
Retha Lois Griffis Smith is preceded in death by her husband, William Leroy Smith of Evadale, TX; her parents Nealy and Estelle May Griffis of Buna; siblings, Alvin Jerrell Griffis, Charles William (Chuck) Griffis & Virginia Griffis Landry from Silsbee, Juanita Griffis Williams of Ivanhoe, Nealy Jerome Griffis of Buna; maternal aunts, Marie May Fregia of Batson, Louise May Kelly of New Mexico; paternal aunts & uncles, L.V. Griffis. Bill Griffis & Audrey Griffis Day of Buna/Evadale area; several cherished nieces & nephews, Dyanna, Rocky, Cindy, Jacob, Jena & Matthew.
Retha is survived by her children, April Daneen Griffis Beard (Jeremy), Jesse Brandon Griffis (Kandis); grandchildren, Nikki West Willis (Brad), Michael Lennon Jackson (Alyssa), Brittany and Blade Beard, Jeremy and Briana Griffis, Jayden, Genesis and Bryston Bernier, Skylar Williams, Aniyah Griffis; six step children, five step grandchildren and several step great grandchildren from the Smith family; siblings, Barbara Griffis Elliott Turner (Edward) of the Pineland/Bon Wier area, David Eugene Griffis of Silsbee, Averine Griffis Pennington (Larry) of Simonton, Howard Griffis (Shirley) of Buna; numerous loved nieces and nephews and all their children.
Honoring Retha as pallbearers are Brandon Griffis, Jeremy Griffis, Jeremy Beard, Michael Lennon Jackson, David Michael Griffis, Jayden Bernier, Carl McFarland and Bryston Bernier.
Services to honor Retha will be held at North End United Pentecostal Church in Evadale, Texas, on Saturday, February 1, 2025. Visitation will begin at 1:00 PM, followed by a funeral service at 2:00 PM officiated by Pastor Ralph Bertrand and Pastor Ben White. Interment will take place at Morse Cemetery, Buna Texas.