Cover photo for Johnnie Marie Smith's Obituary
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1935 Johnnie 2025

Johnnie Marie Smith

September 4, 1935 — July 11, 2025

Orange, Texas

Johnnie Marie Smith, 89, of Orange, Texas, passed away on July 11, 2025, at Baptist Hospital in Beaumont.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, July 16, 2025, at North Orange Baptist Church in Orange. Officiating will be Rusty Dollar. Burial will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens in Orange.

Visitation will begin prior to the service at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, July 16, 2025, at North Orange Baptist Church in Orange.

Born in Merryville, Louisiana, on September 4, 1935, she was the daughter of Burl Hennigan and Ada (Burch) Hennigan. Johnnie was a devoted homemaker and the heart of her family. She was a gracious matriarch who delighted in gathering both immediate and extended family and friends around her table. Her home was always open, her kitchen always warm, and she welcomed guests with the kind of hospitality that made everyone feel like family. She loved when people enjoyed her cooking and especially when they told others about it, too. She lived a life defined by service, creativity and a deep faith. To know her was to know warmth — the kind found around a kitchen table, wrapped in a handmade quilt, or echoed in a church fellowship hall filled with laughter and shared meals. Johnnie was a lifelong member of North Orange Baptist Church, where her servant’s heart found its most joyful expression. For decades, she led the church’s kitchen ministry alongside her beloved husband, Billy, feeding generations through weekly Wednesday night dinners, celebrations, memorials, potlucks and holidays. Together, they poured countless hours — and an equal measure of love — into every dish prepared and every life touched. She was a proud and deeply devoted grandmother, known as MaMa, who never missed a milestone in the lives of her five grandchildren — always with love in her heart and often a special gift in hand. Holidays were unforgettable under her roof, wrapped in tradition and love. That same devotion continued with her great-grandchildren, with whom she shared her time and gifts. Johnnie was also a gifted quilter and crocheter, known for crafting intricate keepsakes that now blanket the homes and hearts of those she loved most. Each quilt, stitched with care and embroidered with “Hand-stitched with love, by MaMa,” remains a tangible piece of her legacy. Johnnie also had a spirit of adventure and a joy for travel. She and Billy spent years camping and exploring the United States and Canada, often joining senior group trips through their church. Whether on the open road or in a quiet pew, she found joy in both the journey and the destination. More than anything, Johnnie will be remembered for her unwavering kindness, her giving spirit, and her deep devotion to faith and family. Johnnie Smith’s legacy is stitched into the fabric of her family, her friends, her church and her community — a life of incredible influence built on faith, love and tireless devotion to others.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Burl and Ada Hennigan; daughter, Gail Smith; son-in-law, Glenn Stephenson; husband of 64 years, Billy Frank; and eight siblings.

She is survived by her daughter, Debbie Stephenson; son, Russell Smith and wife Lana; grandchildren, Michael Smith and wife Megan, Kimberly Jackson and husband Coleman, Rachel Roy and husband Garrett, Ashley Fitts and husband Lance, and Melissa Tilley and husband Dustin; fifteen great grandchildren; brother, Bobby Hennigan; and other loving family and friends.

Serving as pallbearers will be Michael Smith, Coleman Jackson, Garrett Roy, Dustin Tilley, and Lance Fitts.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Johnnie Marie Smith, please visit our flower store.

Service Schedule

Upcoming Services

Visitation

Wednesday, July 16, 2025

10:00 - 11:00 am (Central time)

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North Orange Baptist Church

4775 North 16th Street, Orange, TX 77632

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Funeral Service

Wednesday, July 16, 2025

11:00am - 12:00 pm (Central time)

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North Orange Baptist Church

4775 North 16th Street, Orange, TX 77632

Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text. Standard text messaging rates apply.

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