Hattie Mozelle Owens Smith

SMITH, HATTIE MOZELLE OWENS (1919 ~ 2010). The following is an obituary for Hattie Smith, spouse of the late Judge Earl Wesley Smith, former justice on the Third Court of Appeals. The obituary was provided by Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home.

Hattie Mozelle Owens Smith was born December 9, 1919, in Bishop, Texas. She died in Austin, Texas on May 19, 2010. Mozelle was the third of six children of Gus and Ruby Owens. The Owens family moved to San Angelo, Texas when Mozelle was 6 years old. Mozelle graduated from San Angelo High School. After graduation, she worked as a telephone operator for General Telephone Company. 

Mozelle married Earl Wesley Smith on August 31, 1941. Earl served in the Army Air Corps in World War II. After the war, Earl and Mozelle moved to Austin where Earl graduated from the University of Texas Law School in 1947. Earl and Mozelle moved to San Angelo, Texas, where Earl began the practice of law and Mozelle continued her career as a homemaker.

Mozelle and Earl lived in San Angelo until 1982 when Earl was appointed to be a justice on the Third Court of Appeals in Austin. Mozelle celebrated her 90th birthday in December 2009, where many beloved family and friends gathered to celebrate her wonderful, generous life.

The theme that runs through Mozelle's life is that she loves people and loves to interact with people. Mozelle has been devoted to her family, to her Lord, to church, to raising her kids and teaching them the important values of life, like knowing the Lord and being good Longhorns (Hook 'Em!). She was devoted to embracing the larger extended families of the Owens and Smith clans and the church family in San Angelo. Mozelle actively participated in PTA at all the kids' schools. She helped with Boy Scout troops and Girl Scout troops, chaperoned at youth parties, helped with the high school band, took her children to horseback riding lessons, piano lessons, and all the other activities that made each child grow into the person each is as an adult. She was active in the community, in the Lawyers' Wives Club, book clubs, the symphony guild, the Democratic Party, and in wrapping herself up with her home-town community of San Angelo. Mozelle nursed her beloved Earl through 7 heart attacks and a heart transplant.

Mozelle and Earl had three children: Bobby Earl Smith, Janice Kay Smith, and Martha Nell Smith. Mozelle's family now includes Bobby and Judy Smith and their children, Jon Marc Smith and Tara Spies, Eric Smith and Darra Rightmer; Janice Smith Moss and her children, Jennifer Moss, Jarod and Erika Moss, and Mozelle's great-grandchildren, Wesley and Emmy Moss; and Martha Nell Smith and partner Marilee Lindemann; niece Beth Kizer; Norwegian daughter Janne Schirmer, a foreign exchange student who lived with Earl and Mozelle and Martha Nell in 1970-1971. Mozelle is survived by many beloved nieces, nephews, family members and dear friends.

Mozelle always had a heart for the poor and downtrodden in life and was generous in her charity. "She looks well to the ways of her household .... Her children rise up and call her blessed." Proverbs 31:27-28. 

Mozelle's family extends our grateful appreciation to Dr. Ace Alsup, who lovingly provided excellent care to our Mom. We are thankful to the church family at University Avenue Church of Christ for embracing Mom by bringing her to church every Sunday, reading the Bible daily to her, praying for her and maintaining daily communications with her. We wish to thank the staff at Westminster Manor whose gracious acts of kindness mean so much. We thank special caregivers Lola Camarillo, Susan Phillips, and Chris Horton for their most generous and kind spirit and thoughtfulness in helping our Mother.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, May 21, 2010 at Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home, 3125 North Lamar.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 22, 2010 at Weed-Corley-Fish Chapel North Lamar. Interment will follow at Texas State Cemetery.

The family suggests in lieu of flowers that memorials be made to Mobile Loaves and Fishes, 5524 Bee Cave Road, Building M, Austin, Texas, 78746, www.mlfnow.org, or to the University Avenue Christian Service Center, 1903 University Avenue, Austin, Texas 78705, www.uachurch.org.

Further information is available through the Texas State Cemetery research department.