Fotini “Fane” Smith, of Tryon, Okla., passed away in Edmond, Okla., on Saturday, February 12, 2022, in the loving presence of family.
She was born in Piraeus, Greece, on April 13, 1934, to Nicki and Vasili Georgeou.
She grew up in Piraeus during the German occupation of World War II. In September of 1957, she was 24, and met Airman Richard Smith. Richard was serving in the US Air Force and the two were married April 17, 1958, in Germany.
The Smiths returned to the United States and Richard became an electronic technician, repairing radar stations for the FAA.
In 1965, Fane became an official American citizen, and remained proudly patriotic to her country throughout her life.
In 1966, the family moved to Tucumcari, N.M., where they raised their three children, Rickey, VeraNicky and MaryLee, and Richard worked at the radar station on Mesa Rica.
Fane was active in the community, particularly in the schools. She treated every student who attended school with her children as her own and remained in contact with many of them all her life. She was president of the PTA at Buena Vista Elementary School and, along with her husband, was very active with the Tucumcari High School band boosters. She was a Doe at the Tucumcari Elks Lodge.
She taught Sunday school for years at the First United Presbyterian Church in Tucumcari and was an honorary member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Fane began teaching knitting classes at the Tucumcari Community Center and later at the local Vo-Tech, eventually opening a knitting shop where she continued teaching knitting out of her home.
For 30 years, she supported her husband who earned the rank of lieutenant colonel in the New Mexico Mounted Patrol, the auxiliary unit of the New Mexico State Police and she worked tirelessly during the New Mexico State Fair every year, feeding the dozens of state police officers on assignment. The lifelong friends she made through the Mounted Patrol and the FAA were family to her and she shared joyfully in their celebrations of life and special occasions.
After retiring in 2001, the couple moved to Tryon, the community where Richard grew up.
While proud to be an American citizen, Fane’s Greek heritage ran deep and she freely shared traditions, stories and memories from that chapter of her incredible life.
Among her greatest joys were her grandchildren, Jeremy, Carl, Justin, Courtney, Alexis, Allie and Peter, who affectionately knew her as YiaYia.
She was preceded in death by her brother Christos Georgeou and sisters Froso Antonio and Alexandra Harvali.
She is survived by her husband Richard L Smith; son Rickey Smith and wife Brenda; daughter VeraNicky and husband Mike Upshaw; daughter MaryLee and husband J. D. Meisner; grandchildren Randy Richardson, Mike Richardson, Jeremy Upshaw; Justin Smith, Courtney Williams (Smith) and husband Cory; Alexis Kim (Upshaw) and husband Jimmy; Allie Prater (Meisner) and husband Skyler, Julie Richardson and Peter Smith; and great-grandchildren Logan, Bennett and Carter Richardson; Wyatt and Ely Smith and Evyn and Roland Williams.
Services will be 10:30 a.m., Saturday, February 19, at St. James Orthodox Christian Church, 826 S. Hall Street, Stillwater, Okla. Graveside services will follow at the Carney, Oklahoma, cemetery.