Sharon Kay Smythe

Sharon Kay Smythe, 78, received full healing on November 27th, 2020 at 2:10 p.m. Sharon leaves a legacy through her hard work, fierce faith, tenacity for life, and her actions that represent all of the strong women that came before her on the Harral and Grimsley families and sets an example for all of those that come afterward. Sharon was the youngest child and would often admit that she was a bit spoiled by her parents (Edna & Horton Harral) and her two older brothers (JT Harral and Gary Harral). Sharon grew up under her big brother Gary’s wing. The two were born 18 months apart and spent their time running through the country and cooling off in the swimming hole on hot summer days in the country. Sharon enjoyed attending dance class and spending the night with her grandmother, Grimsley. As Sharon’s alzheimers progressed, she would often talk about the adventures that she had as a child at the family’s Bentonville Farm. Sharon loved her extended family including her sister in law (Loretta Harral), nieces (Sabrina and Melissa Harral), nephew (Neal, Jeffery, and Chris Harral and wife Jana). Sharon married her high school sweetheart, Austin Smythe, on the last day of August in 1960. A “tall, handsome, skinny kid” from Gentry, AR with a bit of an ornery side, met by accident when Sharon and a girlfriend lost their way to a church event being held at the 1st Assembly God Church in Decatur, AR. Austin gave Sharon a life full of laughter. Sharon gave Austin three different sons who shared one common trait with their father…the love of making Sharon laugh at their antics. They gave Sharon a hard time and she would huff, puff...laugh and then give them a hard time right back. The Smythe house is one that was always filled with laughter, card games, jokes, and catfish. The stories from the past would be told in the quiet of the morning as Sharon and Austin would sip their coffee and watch the birds from the huge windows in their living room. Sharon was very proud of her three boys. Her oldest son, Lt. Col. Gary Smythe, made it through many deployments with his mother’s nightly prayers covering him and her no bake cookies to welcome him home. Sharon and Gary’s wife, Carla, grew close through the years as they shared many conversations over the hardships of loving a soldier. Gary’s daughters, Whitney Ritter and Jamie Smythe, adored their Mema, especially her quick wit which would leave them both cackling. Sharon’s four great grandchildren (Maddex, Mason, Reece, and Maeleigh) all recall times of looking at rose bushes and walking in nature with their Mema. Dr. Jon Smythe, stretched Sharon’s ideas of art and culture. Jon would be the first one to his mom's rescue when the others teased her...he would also (lovingly) be the last to choose her as a card playing partner. Jon gave Sharon her favorite companion a dog affectionately named “Puppy”. Puppy and Sharon would walk up and down the ¼ mile driveway daily. When the driveway became too bumpy for Sharon, Austin paved the entire thing to allow Sharon to safely continue her daily walks with Puppy. Timothy “Joe” Smythe was Sharon’s baby boy. Joe visited with Sharon daily and took on the role, with his wife Michelle Smythe, of caregiver in the years leading up to Sharon moving into the Memory Center. Joe taught us all in his quiet and kind way how to communicate with Sharon best as she progressed deeper into her disease. Scott, Brian, Mary, Kassi and Jonah all loved their Mimi very much and spent time fixing all of the technology in her house. Mimi always ensured that the boys had their perfect omelets for breakfast. Sharon lived a life of quiet serving. She worked and earned her retirement from The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority. In the years following retirement, she donated her time to clean the church and help friends. Sharon spent a large part of her days praying for others and spending time in God’s word. She never veered too far from the little girl that would run through the farm, as she loved to spend time in nature tending her garden, and taking daily walks. Sharon was a fabulous (vocal) cook and baker. Her specialty was an iced Johnny Cake that she made as a young girl. She only made the cake one time, but it led to a lifetime of stories and laughter from a woman who knew the secret for a well lived life. Sharon prayed for others often, always helped with the work, and knew the importance of laughing. Memorial services for Sharon will be held at Fort Gibson First Free Will Baptist Church on Friday, December 4, 2020 at 10 a.m. followed by taking her ashes to Citizens Cemetery in Fort Gibson, OK. Pastor Tommy Honeycutt will officiate. The service will be live streamed for those who wish to attend virtually. The family of Sharon Kay Smythe has entrusted her care, cremation and service to Clifford D Garrett Family Funeral Home, Fort Gibson. 918-478-2555. Online condolences may be left for the family at clifforddgarrettfamilyfh.com Mrs. Smythe's service will be livestreamed at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4642737028?pwd=YUFDbGVyektYYk83bXN5blVINm9sZz09 Meeting ID: 464 273 7028 Passcode: sharon

Sharon Kay Smythe

May 5, 1942 - November 27, 2020