Palestine High School Alumni Association

Dale Harding Smith

Dale Harding Smith

Dale Harding Smith 1940
Born 11-30-1922
Died 04-06-2004
Age  81

“I am very fond of the company of ladies,
I like their beauty, their delicacy, thair vivacity and their silence.”

Services for Dale Harding Smith, 81, of Palestine will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the First Methodist Church in Palestine with the Rev. Scott Dornbush officiating.

Dale Harding Smith died at HomePlace Hospice of East Texas Tuesday, April 6, 2004.

He was born in Houston November 30, 1922 to William Andrew and Ethel Harding Smith. His family moved to Palestine when he was 6 years old and has lived in Palestine all his life.

He and his wife, Celia Owen Smith founded Palestine Concrete and Tile Company in May, 1945. He was a pioneer in the concrete block manufacturing business. With the purchase of another block plant in Dallas, today the business is one of the major suppliers of all shapes, sizes and colors of blocks throughout Texas and beyond. He also made many other concrete products and with retirement his love of concrete continued with the making of red concrete hearts and giving them to all he met.

He attended Shriner College and the University of Missouri. He served in the Navy in the Pacific Theater during World War II in landing craft. He participated in the island invasions of Makin, Kwajalein, Tinian and in the first wave in the battle of Saipan.

As a member of the First United Methodist Church in Palestine, he served as chairman of the building committee for the Carroll Building built in 1986 and also for the Fellowship Hall built in 1990.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Wayne Smith of Palestine; his sister, Frances Friedman of Tyler.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Celia Owen Smith; daughters, Linda Smith Allison and her husband Charles Allison of Bay City, Sherry Smith Long and her husband David Long of Emerald Bay; sons, Dale Wayne Smith and his wife Brenda, Danny A. Smith and his wife Dorenda, all of Palestine; grandchildren, Joe Allison of Houston, Chad and Summer Moody and J.P. Moody of Austin and Camille Smith of Palestine; great-granddaughter, Ryann Marie Allison of Houston; sister, Dolly Ann Stallings of Matagorda; and goddaughter, Gail Smith Kelly of Monroe, Ga.

Much appreciation is extended to former loyal plant manager Archie Rampy, Armando Casas and all Palestine Concrete Tile employees. Special thanks also are extended to Dr. Michael Gorby and the First United Methodist Victor Sunday School Class.

Pallbearers will be grandsons, Joe Allison, Chad Moody, J.P. Moody, Owen Smith, Evan Smith and Aaron Smith. Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Don Carroll, Paul Elliott, Ted Maffitt, Bobby Kenderdine, Bill Haney, Jack Wallace of Palestine and Bill Campbell of Austin.

Condolence calls will be received from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Herrington Land of Memory Chapel. Interment will be in Roselawn Park following the service.

In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials be made to the First United Methodist Church, 422 S. Magnolia St., Palestine, Texas 75801 or Hospice of East Texas, 4111 University Blvd., Tyler, Texas 75701.

Source: Palestine Herald-Press 04-07-2004