lenda Beatrice Powell (Smith) peacefully passed away in Paris, Texas on November 9, 2021 at 12:38 in the afternoon after a long and hard fought battle with Alzheimer’s.
Visitation will be held from 6:00 – 8:00 Friday evening on November 12, 2021 at Fry & Gibbs Funeral Home in Paris, Texas. Funeral Services will be held in the chapel of Fry & Gibbs Funeral Home on Saturday, November 13, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. Interment will follow at Evergreen Cemetery.
Glenda was born in Iowa Park, Texas on July 18, 1947 to Boyt Smith and Beatrice Corder Smith. She had an older brother, Boyt Smith, Jr., better known as Curly by those that loved him and a younger sister, Mary Simmons. After graduating from Iowa Park High School in 1964, she attended Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas. Following her graduation, she began teaching at Plano High School. It was during this time she met Rick Powell, who proceeded to sweep her off her feet in a whirlwind romance. They were neighbors in the Carnaby Apartments and, according to her husband, spent that time sneaking in and out of each other’s windows. After a short courtship, they married in the fellowship hall of the First Christian Church of Iowa Park. They later relocated to Paris, Texas where she continued her teaching career at West Lamar High School for a time. Soon, she and Rick began the first of many successful businesses in the area and started their family. Glenda eventually felt the pull to return to the career she was created for: teaching. In August of 1986, Glenda began her time as a Paris Wildcat as a high school Algebra teacher on the day her children began high school, junior high, and kindergarten. She loved her students deeply and it was not uncommon for her to receive multiple phone calls and visits from her students who needed help. To know Glenda was to know her family. She loved her family fiercely and never missed anything Ricky, Rhett, and Renee did. She only left her teaching career when it was time to take care of her much loved grandchildren. Glenda and her husband, Rick, had a love we could all dream of having in our lifetime. You usually didn’t see one without the other. They loved to travel and would load up and take off at a moment’s notice, often driving across the country. She had a deep love for reading and you never saw her in the car without a book or a newspaper. This love was passed along to her daughter who is also an avid reader.
We know Glenda received a warm welcome as she entered the gates of Heaven by those family members who went before her: her beloved grandmother, Tirzah “Tuddy” Tunstill of Iowa Park, Texas; Parents Boyt and Beatrice Smith; brother, Boyt “Curly” Smith; as well as some loved nephews.
Surviving is her devoted husband, Rick Powell, who was at her side multiple times a day and made sure she was well taken care of; son Joe Lewis, wife Stephanie, grandson Cason of Oklahoma City; Son Ricky Powell, wife Holly, grandson Carson, granddaughter Cameron of Paris; Son Rhett Powell, fiance Jeri Kay Johnson, grandson Austin of Paris; daughter Renee Moree, husband Macky, grandson Ryder, granddaughter Rynlee; along with numerous nieces and nephews.
Online condolences may be sent to the Powell family by visiting www.fry-gibbs.com