Susan Staples Smith

Susan Staples Smith, 91, of Georgetown, died at home on Tuesday, January 1, 2013. Visitation is at 9:00am, Friday, January 4 at Ramsey Funeral Home, 5600 Williams Drive in Georgetown.  Services at 10:00am, minister Darrell Knight officiating.  Burial will follow at Comal Cemetery in New Braunfels.

Born in San Antonio, Texas, Susan Smith was the only child of Mary Protheroe Shears Staples and Captain Robert Taft Staples.

Raised in San Antonio and New Braunfels, Susan attended Texas Woman’s College in Denton majoring in chemistry.  She completed training in Medical Technology at Baylor Hospital, Dallas, received certification from the American Society of Clinical Pathologists, and at Baylor Hospital became lab assistant to Dr. Joseph M. Hill, renowned researcher of blood plasma and the Rh factor.

On August 26, 1942, she married Grant W. Smith in Indianapolis IN.

Susan worked 15 years as Clinical Laboratory Supervisor at Coco Solo Hospital in the Panama Canal Zone, later becoming instructor in the Medical Laboratory Technology training program and civilian supervisor of Immunohematology at Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio.  In 1986 she retired after 32 years in Civil Service.

A prolific painter from teenage years through retirement, Smith became a member of the River Art Group of La Villita Historic Arts Village, San Antonio.  Her work was featured in the first art exhibition at J. Bryant Reeves Gallery in the Temple College Downtown Center.

Active in community service, Smith prepared food for Meals on Wheels, organized the library at San Pedro Church of Christ, San Antonio, and started a sewing group at Northside Church of Christ, Temple.  From 2009 to the present while residing at The Wesleyan at Estrella Independent Living Apartments in Georgetown, she organized and led the Knit & Crochet Group, providing baby blankets and caps to hospitals and compassionate-care organizations.

Susan is survived by 2 children: son Grant W. Smith, Jr. and wife Jeanny of Salado;  daughter Suzanne Caracciolo of Honolulu;  plus  4 grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren.  An infant child Priscilla Ann Smith preceded her in death in 1943.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to any of the following:  

River Art Group, 418 Villita Street, Suite 1400, San Antonio, TX 78205-2927

Northside Church of Christ Women’s Sewing Group 3401 N 3rd St, Temple, TX 76501

Wesleyan Homes Foundation’s Benevolent Fund, P.O. Box 486, Georgetown, TX 78627