In Memory of Laverne Smith

On Wednesday, March 10, 2021, Laverne “Mema” Smith, loving wife, mother, and grandmother went to be with the Lord. Mema was born in Degnan, Oklahoma on March 3, 1922 to James and Icye McMahan. Mema became a Christian on January 22, 1939, she was baptized in Rock Creek, North of Red Oak, and joined First Baptist Church in Red Oak, Oklahoma.

After graduating from Red Oak High School, she worked in a Defense Plant in Detroit and in Oklahoma City until 1945. Mema married Wilbur Smith in Baltimore, Maryland on July 25, 1945. They were stationed at the Marine Base in Quantico, VA. The next year they returned to Red Oak, and began their family raising two sons, Jerry (1946) and Rick (1949). She said “If I had a hobby it was cooking for my family.”

Mema was a substitute teacher and then later owned and operated a Beauty Shop for years. She was a member of Eastern Star and received a 50 year pin in 2001. After they retired, her and Wilbur traveled many miles in their R.V. with family and friends. She was an avid sports fan as her boys played and Wilbur refereed for 35 years.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Wilbur Smith after 54 glorious years of marriage, her father James H. McMahan, her step-father Walter Jeffrey, her mother Icye Jeffrey, her brother Harold McMahan and wife Ellie from Novi, Michigan, her brother Jim McMahan and wife Katherine from Cheney, Kansas, her brother Joe Jeffrey and wife Margaret from Wilburton, Oklahoma, and her sister Bernice Hardaway and husband Doby from Santa Rosa, CA. She is survived by her brother Duane Jeffrey and wife Sue, and her sons Jerry Smith and wife Mary and Rick Smith and wife Brenda, her grandchildren Richelle Scrivner, Kason Smith, Justin Miller, Josh Smith, Joe Epperley, Zack Smith, and Crystal Fell, her great-grandchildren Abby and Bella Scrivner; Brayden Julian, Shayne and Allyson Smith; Tyler, Ryan, and Hannah Miller, Tanner and Blair Wallace; Brendan Lee, Saylor Smith; Gavin and Brylynn Turner, Mason and Bristol Epperley; Anna Smith; and Carter Fell and very special friends Jack and Nancy Cook who provided love, support, and companionship for many years.

Mema’s final message to her family and loved ones is “Always keep Jesus in the center of your lives so that one day when we leave this world, we will all be together in that wonderful city called Heaven, our home.”

The Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, March 20, 2021 at Waldrop Funeral Home in Wilburton, Oklahoma at 10:00 A.M. Graveside service will follow at Red Oak Cemetery. Pallbearers will be West Hilburn, Kenneth Prock, Kason Smith, Josh Smith, Zack Smith, and Jay Jeffrey. Honorary pallbearers will be Dub Jeffrey, Tom Jeffrey, Rob Jeffrey, John D. Jeffrey, Steve McMahan, Mark McMahan, Ernie Hardaway, Earl McMahan and Joe Epperley.