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aligncenterCSM Doyle Odell Smith Ret
CSM Doyle Odell Smith, Retired, of Pasadena, Texas, went to be with our Lord,
on Saturday, September 5, 2009. He was a strong, gentle man who loved his family,
his friends and his life.
Born in Camp Ruby, Texas, May 10, 1929, to Dennis Odell Smith and Hesta Myrle
Hammond Smith, he was the oldest of three children. He attended school in Camp
Ruby until it was consolidated with Livingston when he was in the ninth grade. He
graduated from Livingston High School, where he played football, basketball, ran
track, was student council president along with being the Class Most Handsome Boy.
He proudly served his country in the United States Army from 1949 through 1979.
In 1950, he departed Tacoma, Washington for Korea, with the 23rd Regiment, 2nd
Infantry Division, as a tank gunner. Upon his return home, he married Frances
Ellis, his high school sweetheart. They shared a military life traveling the world.
After Korea, he went to Camp Chaffey, Arkansas, then to Munich, Germany.
This is where, Denise, his oldest daughter was born. Back stateside, he went to
Fort Hood, Texas then to Fort Polk, Louisiana with the 2nd Armored Division. This
is where his younger daughter, Melinda, was born. In 1958, he went back to
Munich, Germany then three years at Fort Hood, Texas. His next post in Germany
was Erlangen at Ferris Barracks. He returned stateside to Owensboro, Kentucky,
where he was in charge of the National Guard. He fought in Viet Nam, another tour
in Germany with his final post at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
In 1979, after running the 47th Field Hospital in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, he retired as
PCmd. Sergeant Major.