Walther

Carolyn Smith Walther of Houston (formerly of Giddings, Texas), entered the gates of Heaven on Jan. 20, 2017 at the age of 77, after battling cancer. She was surrounded by her loving family.

Carol was born Oct. 7, 1939 in Akron, Colo., the third child of parents John and Ruth Smith, who baptized her into the Christian faith in 1945. Carol spent her childhood and teen years in Denver, Colo. After graduating high school, she attended Parks School of Business from 1957 to 1958, fully expecting to live out her life in Colorado. 

Then she met a country boy from Texas. The country boy was also an airman in the U.S. Air Force, and they fell in love, even as he served overseas. On Aug. 7, 1960, Carol married Marvin Walther in Denver. Then she became a Texan. 

Carol and Marvin moved to Austin, where she took up her calling as a devoted wife. After a brief stop in Columbus, Mississippi, they moved to Houston, where she served as full-time mom to Rodney, Glenda, and Karen. Inspired by the Bible verse “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15), she ensured that her family attended church and that her children received a strong Christian education. 

After her children were grown, Carol used her business background to serve others. She coordinated summer campers for the San Jacinto Girl Scouts (Houston), assisted property appraisers for the Travis County Appraisal District (Austin), and did bookkeeping for Jaeger’s (Giddings). 

For years, this daughter of the Rockies proudly called Texas home. Whether raising a family in the suburbs of Houston or living out retirement on the Giddings farm she shared with Marvin, Carol built a life based on a commitment to family and a strong faith in God. She will be dearly missed. 

Carol was preceded in death by her loving husband of 54 years, Marvin Walther; parents John and Ruth Smith; brother Richard “Dick” Smith; and brother-in-law Phil Going. 

Carol is survived by her son Rodney and Susan Walther of Sugar Land; daughter Glenda and Curtis Davis of Serbin; daughter Karen and Jimmy Roberts of Spring; nine grandchildren (Lee and Brittany Davis, Kimberly and Billy Davis, James and Briana Davis, Tony and Natasha Davis, Lisa and Lance Sublett, Justin Roberts, Jordan Roberts, Brian and Lisa Walther, and Kaitlyn Roberts); eight great-grandchildren (Ariel Davis, Kaleigh Davis, Addison Davis, Tyler Davis, Brielle Roberts, Elliott Sublett, Kaydence Davis, and Anya Davis); brother Donald Smith of Aurora, Colo.; sister Nancy Jo “Jo Ann” Inman of Westminster, Colo.; sister-in-law Ann Smith of Longmont, Colo.; sister-in-law Shirley Going of Round Top; and sister-in-law Mary and Bill Peikert of Athens. 

As a memorial, Carol requested that donations be made to Holy Cross Lutheran Church- Cemetery Fund.

Funeral services were held on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2017 at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Warda with Rev. Dennis Tegtmeier officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery. 

Phillips and Luckey Funeral Home in Giddings was in charge of arrangements.