Elsa Benevides Smith

Elsa Ofelia Benavides was born 28 July 1921 to Enrique Benavides and Josefa Garcia, the second child of four. Only one remains of that foursome, older brother Enrique Jr. ( “Bebe”) who is 101 years old. Elsa is preceded in death by her husband, Fred W. Smith Jr., and by her two younger sisters, Alma Livia Fecher and Josefina Isela Beach. Elsa was baptized 3 September 1921 in the Parroquia de San Agustin, Laredo, and graduated from the St. Augustine Parochial Schools 24 May 1935. Needless to say, she was bright. But she was also perfectly bilingual. She was working as a clerk typist when World War II broke out, bringing Fred W. Smith Jr. to flight school at Laredo Air Force Base. He was dashing, slim in his Air Force uniform, and boasted a Clark Gable mustache. He had a .45 holstered on his hip. They rode around in open Jeeps under the hot Texas sun. Soon he surrendered and converted to Catholicism. They were married 6 March 1943 in Laredo. Elsa became a military wife. She moved from air base to air base as her husband was deployed with the Strategic Air Command. Her first two children, Diana and Fred III, grew up in air base schools where many a father did not come home. But Fred Jr. did come home, leaving the military June 1956 to take over his father’s Knoxville insurance agency. Diana and Fred III attended Catholic High School (classes of ‘62 and ‘64). Elsa could organize anything. It is believed she assisted General Eisenhower in planning the Normandy landing. When the Korean War was over the military no longer needed her help. She had two more children, Cheryl Smith (Wilburn) of Kingwood, Texas, and Hal W. Smith. Elsa next turned her military organizational skills to her husband’s insurance business, and then to retail sales with The Common Market and Parisian department store. She was neat and dignified, highly organized, a lady of careful bearing, hard work, and accomplishment. She retired from Parisian with a grand party celebrating her 85th birthday and retirement. Elsa died peacefully at home 28 May 2017, two months short of her 96th birthday. She didn’t beat Bebe’s record. Elsa is survived by her children: Diana Smith Swann (Bill), Fred W. Smith III (Lynn), and Hal W. Smith all of Knoxville, and Cheryl Wilburn (Steve) of Kingwood, Texas; by her grandchildren: Traci Saraceni Suddath (Matt), Ashley Schaumburg (Russell), Scott Saraceni (Camille), Fred W. Smith IV (Ali), Lindsey Wilburn, and Kellie Wilburn; by seven great grandchildren; and by her brother, Enrique C. Benavides, Jr. A private service will be held to celebrate Elsa’s life. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the Knoxville Area Rescue Mission, 418 N Broadway, Knoxville, TN 37917, or to the charity of your choice.

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Elsa Benevides Smith

July 28, 1921 - May 28, 2017