Mary Pauline Smith was born October 6th, 1926 in Cheyenne, Oklahoma to Mary Belle (Nixon) and Paul Robert Jencks. She passed away Friday, August 19th, 2022 at Elk City, Oklahoma at the age of 95 years, 10 months and 13 days. Pauline grew up in Cheyenne and attended the one room schoolhouse at Needmore Schools. In 1935 she moved with her family to northern California where she actually skipped second grade. A few years later they moved to El Centro, California where she attended school and was unintentionally active in track, coming just short of breaking the school record. It was at this time she learned Spanish that would serve her throughout her life. She was also active in the family trucking business as a bookkeeper. At the age of 16 she met and was later married to Doyle Leroy Smith on January 18th, 1943. A couple days later Doyle left to serve in World War II and Pauline remained in California where she continued to help her dad and uncle. After Doyle returned in 1945, they remained in California for a time before returning to western Oklahoma where Doyle attended refrigeration classes and Pauline was a homemaker and cared for her family. After completion of his classes, he and Pauline moved to Elk City where they owned and operated Smith Refrigeration. She also kept books for Ellis Engler. In 1960 they moved to Madrid, Spain for 3 years. It was during this time they became friends with many missionaries and aided with the furthering Christianity in Spain. They returned to Elk City to raise their family and Pauline found her calling in caring for young children through being a babysitter until her retirement, or until she started caring for her grandchildren. Pauline enjoyed gardening, telling Bible stories, being an ambassador for the Woman Auxiliary, teaching Bible classes, GA classes, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and spending time with her family and friends. She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Doyle; son, Michael Smith; one sister, Phyllis Hartman and one brother, Lyle Jencks. Pauline is survived by her two daughters, Deborah Whinery and husband, Don, Cheyenne, OK and Rebecca Downs and husband, Terry, Phoenix, AZ; 1 son, Timothy Smith, Eufaula, OK; one daughter-in-law, Beckey Smith, Cheyenne, OK; eleven grandchildren; twenty great grandchildren; one brother, Warren Jencks; JoAnn Hayden, Juanita “Bobbie” Stauber, Maxine Schuelein, and Charlene Fry and a host of other relatives and friends.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday, August 23rd, 2022 at 2:30 P.M. at Fairview Baptist Church. Burial will be held at Cheyenne Cemetery under the direction of Chris Whinery and the staff of Affordable Cremation Service-West. Condolences can be made online at www.classicfunerals. com