HETTYE SUE “CISSY” SMITH

Hettye Sue Downs Smith, 83, of Navasota, went to be with the Lord, Saturday evening, January 2, 2020, at Crestview Methodist Retirement Center in Bryan, having been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2016.

A memorial service celebrating Cissy’s life will be held 2:00 p.m. Saturday, May 22, 2021, at First United Methodist Church, 616 Holland St, in Navasota with Rev. Jeremy Woodley officiating.

Cissy was born April 27, 1937, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the daughter of Ottis Eudean and Hazel Kate Howard Downs. She graduated from Houston Lamar High School early in 1954, and after spending a semester at the University of Houston, she transferred to Baylor University where she was a member of Athenean Club and received her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1959. At Baylor she began a lifelong career in education, following in the footsteps of her mother, Hazel Downs, and her grandmother Hettye Viola Howard.

While at Baylor, she also met and married James Bernard Renberg in 1958. After their time at Baylor, the couple lived and taught in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky and Madison, Wisconsin. In Wisconsin, Cissy gave birth to her first son, Eric James in 1963. Following stints in Durham, North Carolina and Austin, Texas, the family landed in Beaumont, Texas where Cissy gave birth to Christopher Ellis in 1967 and Benjamin Robert in 1969. During this time, Cissy worked with the Head Start program to help children in Beaumont. When her family move to Waukesha, Wisconsin, Cissy focused on raising her three boys.

In 1974, the family returned to Cissy’s native Texas, living first in Plantersville and then Navasota where she resumed her teaching career and taught second grade for 25 years. She found profound joy in this and staunchly advocated for her students. During this time, she married Roger Vaughan Smith from 1986 – 2004. When she retired in 2000, Cissy turned her efforts to various civic organizations in Navasota. She worked tirelessly with Young Life, the NISD Educational Foundation, Texas Retired Teachers, Delta Kappa Gamma, Keep Navasota Beautiful, Navasota Theater Alliance, and the Music Study Club, to name a few. This civic mindedness was recognized with her being named “Citizen of the Year” for Navasota in 2006. In addition, she was a faithful member of the congregations at First Baptist Church and First United Methodist Church of Navasota.

Friend in many, she made countless visits to hospitals and nursing homes to cheer up her friends, loved celebrating with her birthday club, cherished road trips with friends and family, and absolutely loved seeing her former students around town.

She is reunited with loved ones she missed dearly and was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Ottis Eudean Downs, Jr., her stepfather, Gene Arthur Macey, her second husband, Roger Vaughan Smith and a daughter-in-law, Antonin Castillo Renberg.

Survivors include her three children, Eric James Renberg and Christopher Ellis Renberg, both of Navasota and Benjamin Robert Renberg and his wife April of Dallas; two grandchildren, Elaine Kate Renberg and Robert Charles Renberg of Waco; her first husband, James Renberg; numerous beloved cousins and other family members and community filled with love and appreciation.

A special thank you to the amazing staff at Crestview who cared for her in the independent living, memory care and skilled nursing units. She was known there for her quick wit and love for ice cream.

In lieu of usual remembrances, memorials can be made to NISD Education Foundation, Sue Downs Smith Scholarship at Baylor University or First United Methodist Church of Navasota.

You are invited to sign the guest book and leave condolences for the family at www.lindleyrobertson holt.com.