Sybel Faye Smetana

SMETANA, SYBEL Sybel Faye McClellan Rankin Smetana, 77 of Golinda, died Tuesday, August 03, 2004 at a local nursing facility. Services will be at 1:30pm Friday, August 6 at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Chapel with the Rev. Gene Grace and Chaplain Brian Pendleton officiating with a reception immediately following in the Garden Room. A graveside service will follow at 5pm at Woodland Cemetery, Kirvin, Freestone County. Visitation with the family will be from 6-8pm Thursday, August 5 at the funeral home. Mrs. Smetana was born October 28, 1926 near Kirvin, Texas to Luther Gus and Hazel Beatrice Barker McClellan. She was the granddaughter of Luther Samuel and Mary Elizabeth Newman McClellan and Thomas B. and Julia Essie Knight Barker. She was baptized at Caney Baptist Church in Kirvin and was a member of Memorial Baptist Church in Waco for over 50 years. She was a 1943 graduate of Fairfield High School, Fairfield, Texas; she married Willie Roy Rankin, Jr. on December 24, 1944 at Eighth Avenue Baptist Church, Teague, Texas. He preceded her in death May 26, 1957. She graduated Four-C Business College, Waco. She was a past employee of R. E. Cox Co. and credit manager for Olga’s from the late 1960’s until she retired in 1992. She married Joseph Lawrence Smetana on September 21, 1972 at Church of The Visitation in Westphalia, Texas. Following the wedding, they headed west to California on a combination business/honeymoon trip which would be the beginning of many out-of-state travels. She had been a 35 year resident of Waco prior to moving to Golinda in 1980. After being widowed, her travel agenda was limited. She had to go to work, raise two daughters and send them to school, including college. After marrying Joe, Safety Director for Texas Farm Bureau, traveling became more predominant. Joe was invited by the California Farm Bureau to be on their Youth Safety Seminar Program for 11th and 12th grade students near Yosemite National Park. Since the students gave him high ratings, he was invited back the following three years. At the conclusion of each year’s seminar, Joe and Sybel would travel into San Francisco, eat at famous restaurants, cross the Golden Gate Bridge, proceed to the wine tasting rooms at Napa Valley, on to Reno, Tahoe, Las Vega for shows and then return to Waco. Sybel and Joe attended 17 summer meetings of the National Institute for Farm Safety, Inc. in 15 states, Ontario and Alberta, Canada. Joe and Sybel attended the American Farm Bureau National Conventions in Houston and Hawaii. Mrs. Smetana is also preceded in death by her parents and brother, Billy Mac McClellan. Survivors include husband, Joe L. Smetana; daughters, Sandra Kaye Rankin McLeod and husband, L. Bryant of Houston and Patricia Ann Rankin Stitham and husband, Gerald of Canton, Texas; granddaughters, Courtney Roechelle Tanner of Canton and Valerie Amanda McLeod, Baylor Student, Waco; great granddaughters, Brooke McKensi Phillips and Lanee Nicole Tanner of Canton; brother-in-law, James Smetana and wife, Georgia of Schenectady, New York; and numerous Smetana nieces and nephews; sister-in-law, Toni McClellan DeWillis, nephew, Billy Steven McClellan; nieces, Cyndia Leigh McClellan Thompson and Carrie Jo McClellan; three great nephews, five great nieces all of Houston; and numerous other nieces and nephews. Pallbearers will be Bryant McLeod, Gerald Stitham, Ralph LaFrentz, Larry Davis, Steve McClellan, and Rod Thompson. Honorary pallbearer is Cecil M. Rankin. Sybel loved and was loved by many friends and her family of the McClellans, Rankins, and Smetanas. The family would like to thank all the members of Memorial Baptist Church for all food, prayers, flowers and phone calls. Also the family would like to thank Dr. Ross Shipp and his staff at Waco Internal Medicine, nurses and staff of St. Catherine Center and Providence Hospice. In lieu of flowers, anyone wishing to do so may make a contribution to Providence Hospice, 4830 Lakewood Dr., Ste. 5, Waco, TX 76710. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our “Memorial Guestbook” at www.wilkirsonhatchbailey.com. WILKIRSON-HATCH-BAILEY