Maxine "Mickey" Smith

Maxine (Mickey) Cearley Smith, who embraced life and lived it fully, passed away peacefully on August 29, 2015, in Hamilton, Montana, surrounded by family.

Mickey was born May 10, 1918, in Anson, Texas, to Ida Lenora Spoonts Cearley and Jasper Lee Cearley, a lawyer. She grew up in Cisco, Texas, where she graduated from high school before going to Draughn's Business College in Abilene. Her father died when she was fourteen. It was during the depression and her mother was left to provide for four children with little means of support. At twenty-one, she met Ross Smith, on leave from the Navy in Cisco. After a year's correspondence, he proposed to her by letter. She said "yes," and took a train to Seattle, where they married the next day, November 10, 1940. She said of the trip, "I'm just a person who's always met things head on, so I took it with a grain of salt." As a Navy family, they moved back and forth across the US (with a tour in Panama) for twenty-one years with their four children.

After Ross's retirement, they lived for a number of years in San Antonio, where he was in business and she was sales manager at Bond's Department Store.

In 1971, they moved to Montana and built their home on the West Fork of the Bitterroot River. There they made many good friends, hosted numerous vacationers, played golf and bridge and took trips all over the world. After Ross's death in 1998, Mickey continued her travels to Europe, Egypt, China and other places. By then, she had moved to Hamilton. Family and friends continued to visit her there and at the family home on the West Fork. She remained an avid bridge player until her death.

She is survived by a younger sister, Marjorie, and brother-in-law, James Newberry of Belton, Tx; her children and their spouses, Ross and Barbara Smith, San Antonio, Tx; Lynora Smith, Lago Vista, Tx; Michael and Janet Smith, Stafford, Tx; Joe Smith and Lily Golden, Conner, Mt.; numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. The family would like to express their appreciation for the care provided by Joe and Lily, and granddaughter, Shawn, and her husband, Marty Bell.

In lieu of flowers, donations to First Presbyterian Church of Hamilton, where she and Ross were members, or Marcus Daly Hospice Endowment Fund are welcome.