Sue Caldwell Smith

On January 30th, 2015, in Bartlesville, OK, Sue Caldwell Smith, passed away from natural causes, peacefully and surrounded with love, in her home of 27 years. Sue was the youngest of five brothers and sisters, born in Frederick, OK to Pioneer parents, Charles and Margaret Caldwell. Sue and her family lived on the farm that her grandfather homesteaded in 1906. Sue received her Bachelor's degree in Vocational Home Economics from Oklahoma College for Women, now known as USAO, in Chickasha, OK. While there, she served as President of the Junior Class, President of the Student Government, was selected for two years to Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities, and represented the college as Miss OCW. In 1951, Sue met the man she would marry and spend the rest of her life loving, James Virgil Smith. In 1955, they began the growth of their family with the birth of their only son Jim, followed by the birth of their only daughter, Cindy in 1958. Mrs. Smith was the first Vocational Home Economics teacher in Bartlesville Schools and started the first chapter of FHA at the local High School. She taught for 19 years at Bartlesville High School and developed and implemented the Family Living Curriculum that was used at the High School from 1972 to 1986. She was a member of the committee to write the first Family Living Curriculum for the state of Oklahoma, as well as, a committee member in the development of a survival skills curriculum for the State Department of Education. She was one of the two home economics teachers in Oklahoma selected to represent vocational home economics at the First Governors' Conference on Education. Throughout the years, Mrs. Smith has received many recognitions and awards for her devoted work with the youth of Oklahoma. In 1981, Sue was the recipient of the Helen Jensen Award. In 1985, she was chosen as Bartlesville's Teacher of the Year, and as of January 2015, it was announced, that Mrs. Smith will be inducted into the Bartlesville Public School Foundation Educator Hall of Fame. Sue was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma and Kappa Kappa Iota, both national Honorary Teachers Organizations, a member of Oklahoma Retired Teachers Association and Washington Co. Retired Teachers, a previous President of Chapter ED-PEO, a member of the Advisory Board for Mutual Girl's Club, a member of the Advisory Board for Family Care Services, a volunteer for Green Country Free Clinic, a member of the First United Methodist Church, a member of the United Methodist Women's Board, a member of UMW Circle, and was one of the organizers for the Wedding Hostess Committee of which she was a co-chairperson for 23 years. Mrs. Smith and her late husband, Virgil Smith have established several scholarships to enable young people to further their education. In her spare time, you would find Sue enjoying the sounds of Tom Netherton and all the other Lawrence Welk members, cooking Oklahoma bread for her grandchildren, creating thread masterpieces, visiting with friends from near and far, chatting with her late sisters and best friends, Miriam and Tommy, and most of all surrounding herself with the ones she loved the most. The Family would like to express their appreciation for all the wonderful and loving care provided by her caretakers and Cornerstone Hospice. Mrs. Smith is survived by her loving Son; Jim Smith and his wife Joani Smith; her daughter, Cindy Smith and her husband, Bob Delaney; her three grandchildren, Ashley Trombetta, Nicole Trombetta, and Jesse Smith; and her many adoring nieces, nephews, and her many dear, life-long friends.