Marie Smithers

Marie Smithers, age 83, of Russellville, and former long-time resident of Russellville, passed away from this life to her new heavenly home on August 27, 2016, at the San Antonio Downtown Methodist Hospital in San Antonio, Texas. She was born June 26, 1933 in Carlisle to Lavon and Ernestine Holden Gunn. She was the owner of Smithers Realty, being one of the first female real estate brokers in the River Valley and was the first woman to work at Arkansas Nuclear Plant (ANO) for Bechtel. She and her husband, J. D. Smithers, started Smithers Construction. She loved to play bridge and enjoyed all of her bridge friends. She was a woman of strong faith, believing in the power and strength of Jesus Christ's love and the beauty and peace that would await her after her passing. She was a wonderful and devoted mother that loved her children deeply and raised them in the ways of the Lord Jesus Christ. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, J. D. Smithers; a son, John Douglas Smithers; a grandson, James Joshua "JJ" Brooks; a sister, Flo Jared; two brothers, Otha Gunn and Milton Gunn; and a beloved sister-in-law, Rachel Gunn. Survivors include her husband, Robert Farrar; a daughter, Yvonne DeLynn Smithers (Gary Detherage); a son, Jeff Smithers (Lori) of Fredricksburg, Texas; a sister, Jean Vaught of Wynn; a sister-in-law, Willie Jeff Ison of Benton; and two grandsons, Jake Smithers of Portland, Oregon and Luke Smithers of New York, New York. The funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, September 1, 2016, at the First Baptist Church of Russellville, with the Rev. Stephen Davis, the Rev. Tom Walker and the Rev. Greg Sykes officiating. The burial will be in Fowler Cemetery at Paron, under the direction of Shinn Funeral Service of Russellville. Pallbearers will be Sam Vaught, Fred Gunn, Jake Smithers, Luke Smithers, Don Jared and Gary Detherage. The family will receive friends from 5 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, August 31, 2016 at Shinn Funeral Service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church of Russellville, P.O. Box 36, Russellville, Arkansas 72811-0036. The online obituary and guestbook are available at www.shinnfuneral.com.