Jeanne Hoffman Smith

Jeanne Hoffman Smith was truly one of a kind. She died peacefully on July 30, with a family that loved and appreciated her more with every passing day. She herself talked more and more of gratitude as her 92 years went by. Jeanne lived a long and rich life, guided by her father's motto to "Leave more wood on the woodpile than was there when you came." She lived by her own mottos as well, such as "always be curious," and "It never hurts to ask." She was generous with her resources in their many forms and did all she could to make her community a better place.She was born on Sept 4, 1929, just months before the Great Depression, in Oklahoma City to Grace (Thatcher) and Roy Hoffman. She grew up in Chandler, OK until war called her father, and the family. Her experiences as a member of this great generation shaped her life, from being a child of that depression to later WWII trauma and dislocation. When she witnessed a German Uboat sink a freighter off the coast of Florida, she was left all too aware of the vulnerability not only of our way of life, but of life itself. Her experience being sent to boarding school at 12, on the same train as those wounded in the attack, forced her into maturity at an early age. She later moved to Oklahoma City with her mother as the war continued, later joined by her father upon return from New Guinae, battered by his experiences.She attended Classen High, went on to Smith College, then Oklahoma City University, ultimately receiving a graduate degree in social work from the University of Louisville. She married Boston Smith in 1949, and as he began his career as a lawyer and judge, she worked as mother and community volunteer. In the last 50 years of her life, she maintained a practice as a clinical social worker, seeing clients into her last year. She held steady as this life wobbled, and proceeded with its losses and gains, its struggles, and rewards. She had three children, Harrison, Roy and Victoria, who live on with their spouses Joanne, Marty, and Mark Eaton. She is also survived by grandchildren Clayton and his wife Gaby, Julia and her husband Jake, Rachel and husband Dan, and Andrew and Elliot Eaton. She loved being a grandparent to these now adults, and then a great grandmother to Lia, Louise, Lila, Noah, and Grace.She was a great supporter of poetry, the liberal arts, social services, and her church. She loved books, and language, and began numerous programs in the areas of film and video studies, as well as an annual poetry week at OCU, where poets laureate came to educate and illuminate. In her later years, as her vision deteriorated, she would read word by word, with one eye and a magnifier. Her body betrayed her, but she did not let the pain or neuropathy stop her, much to the admiration as well as dismay of her children. As she spoke more about her own gratitude, she left us to now carry this sentiment for her, and all she brought to us.We are now left with the weight of her loss, but also with enormous gratitude indeed for what she gave and meant to us. We will strive to carry forward all she represented and taught.A memorial service will be held at St. Paul's Cathedral in Oklahoma City at 10:00 A.M. Saturday, August 6. For those who cannot attend in person, the service will be streamed live at: https://www.stpaulsokc.org/live. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Paul's Church 127 NW 7th St, Oklahoma City, Ok 73102.