Obituary of Jerry Lee Smith

Jerry Lee Smith liked doing things his own way. Born in the military hospital in Muskogee on Dec. 6, 1943. Mother and son returned to Arkansas, “against my will” Jerry said. Three years after Jerry’s father was killed while serving under Gen. Patton in Germany, the family returned to Oklahoma. He never left the state again. Even in the womb Jerry had a sense of place. That place was Oklahoma, and he loved her dearly. He also had a sense of purpose. Two, actually. One was serving his beloved state as an elected official, which he accomplished in 1972, being elected to the state House representing District 76. He was 29, an age many men are still chasing girls. He didn’t need to. He found the only one he wanted, Sally Howe. She was his other purpose. Tragedy struck Jerry as a young man in the form of cancer. Jerry beat cancer then, but the ghastly specter loomed like a wraith all the rest of his life. Overcoming fears of his own mortality, he married Sally on January 19, 1975, and they had a son, Tucker, on January 13, 1985. Jerry would continue serving Oklahoma in the House and eventually Senate for a remarkable 32 years, before term limits forced him out in 2004. Jerry was a solid-red Republican when Oklahoma’s Legislature was still yellow-dog Democrat. Yet he was never a stubborn obstructionist. He achieved many things with his Democratic colleagues, most notably lifelong friendships. A testament to his reputation came when Gov. Brad Henry appointed Jerry to serve as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, the first time a Democratic Governor had appointed a Republican Legislator to a major committee. Four decades after Jerry’s first diagnosis, his lifelong enemy returned. Cancer was not to be denied this time. Jerry gave it a great fight for two years. Sally, his wife of 40 years, never left his side. He died on January 30, 2015. Jerry had achieved his life's twin purposes – serving the state he loved, and marrying one of her daughters, Sally. Just as he was born here, he will be buried here. Jerry would’ve wanted it that way. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to your favorite charity in memory of Jerry.