Jayne Ruth Smith

Jayne Ruth Smith, 79, of Port Arthur, Texas, passed away Tuesday, December 13, 2011 at Christus St. Mary Hospital. Jayne was born July 23, 1932, in Bristow, Oklahoma to Lloyd Lyle Smith and Beulah Powell Smith. She was a resident of Port Arthur for 54 years and retired in 1992 after 35 years of service as an English teacher at Thomas Jefferson High School. Jayne was very active in the community volunteering and serving in many organizations. She was a member of Friends of the Port Arthur Library Board, and Community Concert Board; President of the Texas Artists Museum for 2 terms totaling 5 years; served many years on Motiva Community Advisory Panel; founded and sponsored Ebbtide literary magazine and Ecology Club at Thomas Jefferson High School; and also taught line dancing classes. She wrote 11 literary study guides and had several articles published in the English Journal. Jayne was an avid traveler, traveling to each state in the U.S.A. and over 30 countries worldwide. Survivors include her brother, Lloyd Lyle Smith, Jr. and wife, Gerry of Tulsa, OK; niece, Sharon Myers and husband, Tom of Norman, OK; five grand-nephews, one grand-niece and one great-grand nephew. A memorial service will be at 3:00 p.m., Sunday, December 18, 2011 at Levingston Funeral Home in Groves, Texas. Friends wishing to make memorial contributions may send them to: Texas Artist Museum of Port Arthur; P.O. Box 3801; Port Arthur, TX 77643.