Nelia  Smith

Submitted By jev0010 on Tue, 08/30/2011 - 12:00am
Nelia Mae Smith, Denton, undergraduate advisor in the Mayborn School of Journalism, who had worked in the journalism program since 1987, died June 4. She was the department’s first secretary and, after retiring in May 2002, returned the next fall to work in the school’s undergraduate advising office. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Texas Tech University and received teacher certification for kindergarten through 12th grade. Students remember her as kind, calming and helpful. She turned her passion for gardening into a company called Plants Alive in the early 1980s, which allowed her to supervise interior landscaping for more than a dozen businesses, including Barton Creek Mall in Austin. She supervised the installation of the interior landscaping at Golden Triangle Mall in Denton when it was built and was its caretaker for the next six years. Survivors include her husband of 52 years, Don Smith, recently retired biology professor and tree expert.

Nelia Mae Smith, Denton, undergraduate advisor in the Mayborn School of Journalism, who had worked in the journalism program since 1987, died June 4. She was the department’s first secretary and, after retiring in May 2002, returned the next fall to work in the school’s undergraduate advising office. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Texas Tech University and received teacher certification for kindergarten through 12th grade. Students remember her as kind, calming and helpful. She turned her passion for gardening into a company called Plants Alive in the early 1980s, which allowed her to supervise interior landscaping for more than a dozen businesses, including Barton Creek Mall in Austin. She supervised the installation of the interior landscaping at Golden Triangle Mall in Denton when it was built and was its caretaker for the next six years. Survivors include her husband of 52 years, Don Smith, recently retired biology professor and tree expert.

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