Sybil Cox Smith

Sybil Smith, 97, of McCurtain, retired educator, died Tuesday, May 16, 2017 at Haskell County Hospital in Stigler. She was born May 2, 1920 in Kinta, Oklahoma to Robert and Zuella (Kennedy) Cox; the youngest of nine children. She grew up and finished the 9th grade in Kinta and moved with her family to Wilburton in 1935. After graduating from high school she attended Eastern Oklahoma State College majoring in Business. She took a Civil Service Examination and went to work as a Clerk –Typist for the Soil Conservation Service in Wilburton. In October 1941 she went to Washington, D.C. and worked in the department of State. She married Bill Smith, whom she had met in McAlester and courted for four years, January 10, 1942. He worked for Capital Transit Company and she transferred to Chemical Warfare Service. In October 1942, Bill was inducted into the Armed Forces and she came back to Wilburton. As long as he was in the states, she went every place he was stationed. While he served 19 months in Foreign Service she lived with her parents in Wilburton and worked in the Soil Conservation Service again. After his discharge from the Army they went back to Washington, D.C. and lived until December 1947. They came back to Oklahoma and went back to college at Eastern State and Northeastern State University where she received her Bachelor and Masters Degrees. She taught I year in Latimer County and 29 years in Haskell County at Le Quire, Rose Hill, Keota and her last 19 years at Kinta. She retired from teaching in 1980 and just enjoyed life with her husband of 57 years on their ranch East of Le Quire until his death in 1999. Sybil will be remembered for her great interest in childhood education. She is survived by a niece, Glenda Marcum of Hereford, Texas; three nephews, Bob Cox of Sequine, Texas, Ron Cox of Norman, OK., Don Cox of California; and a host of friends Sybil is preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Zuella Cox; her husband Bill Smith. Funeral Services will be held 11:00 A.M. Thursday, May 18, 2017 at the Kinta Old School Gymnasium with Mr. Virgil Cantrell officiating; Eulogist: Mark Fenton; Speaker: David Perryman. Pallbearers include Roy Lynn King, Kenneth Kasiner, Chuck Roye, C.B. Coplen III, Todd Pugh, Duane Jeffery, Allen Burris, Dewayne Farriell. Honorary Pallbearers include Wayne King, Johnny McMahan, David Cummings, Don Martin. Burial will follow immediately to Sans Bois Cemetery under the direction of King & Shearwood Funeral Home in Stigler.

Sybil Cox Smith

May 2, 1920 - May 16, 2017