Ladonia Bea Smith

March 6, 1927 Nov. 27, 2023

Ladonia Bea (Teel) Smith, 96, left this earthly life, November 27, 2023.

She was one of nine children born to Willis and Rosa (Kimmel) Teel, March 6, 1927, at their home close to Cordell, OK.

She was affectionately called “Donie Bea” or “Donie” by family and church family.

She started school in Mount Pleasant. In the fourth grade the family moved to the Port community and was there until the middle of her junior year. The family moved to Sentinel where she graduated in 1944.

When she was 13 years old, she was baptized into Christ and served faithfully the remainder of her life attending Plains Avenue Church of Christ.

In 1945 Ladonia went to visit her two friends Cleta and Frances Smith and suddenly noticed their brother, U.L., and a courtship began. They were married a short time later on December 21, 1945 and shared 70 years together.

After they were married, they lived a short time in Amarillo, TX, but returned to Sentinel, OK where they farmed and raised their three children together. Ladonia helped with the farming operation hoeing cotton, pulling cotton, tromping cotton, hauling cotton trailers to the gin, driving the wheat truck to the elevator, plowing, and keeping the financial books.

Ladonia was a talented seamstress and made all of Brenda and Diane’s clothes. She learned to decorate cakes. She made many birthday and wedding cakes. She and her sister- in-law, Vena Teel, started a wedding catering business and catered many weddings. Her wedding cakes were beautiful and well known by everyone. In 1977 she went to work at Carol’s Drapery shop and worked for 36 funfilled years. She was 86 years old when she finally quit.

Ladonia and U.L. loved basketball. They were avid fans attending games at Sentinel long after the kids left home. Then they attended all of two of the grandkids’ games in Cordell. Later, Ladonia became a big Thunder fan. After she moved to the Cordell Village, she and Dovie Ringo watched many games together.

Survivors include Daughters: Brenda Jarrell and husband Larry of Cordell, OK; Diane Bratcher and husband Randy of Oklahoma City, OK. Son: Randall Smith and wife Peggy of Stillwater, OK. Grandchildren: Jason Jarrell and wife Vicki of Choctaw, OK; Andrea Fernandez and husband Jeremy of Mounds, OK; Rebecca Brock and husband Mike of Edmond, OK; Valerie Hanley of Sunnyvale, TX; Queena Tarrant and husband Asa of Stillwater, OK; Audrey McDonald and husband Josh of Rockwall, TX; Donald Smith of Eagle Pass, TX; Mario Smith and wife Meri Ann of Porter, TX.

Great Grandchildren: Callie, Dax, Connor, Leah, Emery, Brady, Abby, Jack, Drake, Drew, Eli, Bryson, Jaxtyn, Baileigh, Gabby, Joshua, Danica, Averie, Ty, Asher, Maya Rose. Brother: Dee Teel and wife Darlene of Plainview, TX, and many nieces and nephews.

Preceded in death by: Willis and Rosa Teel, sisters, Winnie Goucher and Vera Church; brothers, Roy Lee (Buster) Teel, Marvin Teel, Travis Teel, Walter Teel, Glen Teel; grandson-in-law Chad Hanley.

Funeral Service: 2:00 pm Saturday, December 2nd, 2023 at Plains Avenue Church of Christ, Dill City, OK. Visitation: 9:00am-8:00pm Thursday, November 30, 2023, 9:00am-5:00pm Friday, December 1, 2023 The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 5:00-8:00 Friday, December 1, 2023 Interment: South Burns Cemetery, Dill City, OK Services under the direction of Ray and Martha’s Funeral Home, Cordell, OK Home.