Kathleen Dickerson Smith
1960 - 2015
A beautiful light from the Lord came into this world on January 14, 1960, in Port Arthur, Texas, born to Robert Leroy Dickerson and Elizabeth Melvina Stokes Dickerson, and was taken suddenly from us on Saturday, December 12, 2015. Kathleen grew up in Nederland, Texas, in a family where music, dance and performing arts were valued. Her mother was a music teacher for 60 years, directed musicals, and had students who became professionals, but was never a “stage mom.” Kathleen’s sister Cher was also a talented singer, actor and dancer who first brought Kathleen onto the stage to feel the warm lights.
The first Bible verse she learned very young was “What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee.” Psalm 56:3. This was not to deal with normal childhood fears, but to overcome stage fright, and it worked. She also excelled in school, becoming a twirler and eventually Captain of the Nederland Westernaires. Following her graduation from high school in 1978, she attended Kilgore College, becoming one of the famous Kilgore Rangerettes. She later attended Ole Miss, earning a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Education, while teaching public school and earning accolades as a talented actor, singer, musician and dancer. In her post-graduate studies at Perkins School of Theology at SMU, she earned the highest grade point average in her class.
Following college, Kathleen taught dance all across the nation to huge groups (filling football stadiums) with people like Paula Abdul and Teri Hatcher. She was asked to join the cast of a popular television variety show, but turned it down to return to Dallas, Texas, to be near her mother, Betty Dupuis, and stepfather, Weldon, who she felt was the best father imaginable. In Dallas, she became a highly sought-after legal assistant and met the love of her life, Robert Smith. It was love at first sight, and they married on December 29, 1984, in the First United Methodist Church of Wolfe City, Texas.
Following Robert’s law school graduation, the couple moved to Greenville, Texas, where they worked together at the Curtis & Paris law firm. Kathleen later taught at Greenville Christian School where her children Amy and Andrew attended. Her areas included all office skills, computer, and keyboarding. She also directed theater there and loved nurturing the performing arts in her students to always perform as unto the Lord.
Kathleen later worked tirelessly to homeschool her children. She nurtured their artistic talents and helped them create films that won awards at film festivals from Texas to Georgia. She also helped her children get their own start in community theater in the Metroplex area, eventually founding Greenville Family Theater. She directed the immensely successful musical production of Hello, Dolly! in the Greenville Municipal Auditorium in July of 2015, designing every part of the sets and costumes, teaching all of the actors, and putting her imprint on every aspect of the production. She has developed a wonderfully talented group of people in the Greenville area with her passion for excellent and wholesome community theater, and brought transformative, life-giving messages through theater to the entire community. She has inspired many with her love, passion, talent, and vision to carry on this important work.
She is survived by her husband of 31 years, Robert Smith, her children Amy Hale, Andrew Smith, Lily Smith, Daniel Smith, and Katie Smith, her parents Elizabeth and Weldon Dupuis, her son-in-law David Hale and two grandchildren Robert Hale and Michael Hale. Pallbearers are J. Allen Smith, M. Allen Smith, Patrick Smith, Ryan Smith, James Ray Smith, Krys Allen, and Stephen Dickerson. She is preceded in death by her natural father Robert L. Dickerson and her sister Cher Dupuis. The family would appreciate flowers sent to the funeral home for the services or contributions in her name to the nonprofit work that she started: Greenville Family Theater, P. O. Box 43, Greenville, Texas 75403.
Visitation is on Friday, December 18, from 6 pm to 8 pm at Coker-Mathews Funeral Home in Greenville, Texas. The celebration of her life will be on Saturday, December 19, at 1 pm in Ridgecrest Baptist Church in Greenville, Texas, followed by a private graveside ceremony at Memoryland Memorial Park in Greenville, Texas.