2 years ago

Otis Paul Smith
1947 - 2022

Otis Paul Smith, age 74 of Vernon, passed away on Tuesday, June 14, 2022 in Vernon.

Services will be held on Friday, June 17, 2022, at 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church with Rev. Gib Baskerville officiating. Interment will be held at Wilbarger Memorial Park under the direction of Sullivan Funeral Home. Visitation will be Thursday, June 16, at 6 to 7 p.m. at Sullivan Funeral Home Chapel.

Otis Paul Smith was born Sept. 8, 1947, in Stamford, Texas. He was reared on Big 4 Ranch, near Truscott, Texas. He attended Crowell, Texas schools and graduated Crowell High School in 1965. Otis attended Hardin-Simmons University and he was a graduate of Dallas Institute of Mortuary Science in Dallas. He did his apprenticeship with Smith Funeral Home in Knox City, Texas, and then with Elliott Funeral Home in Abilene. He purchased Poston Funeral Home in Panhandle in 1970. He operated Smith Funeral Home and Flower Shop until 1983, when he sold and moved to Vernon and purchased Sullivan Funeral Home, Wilbarger Memorial Park and Sullivan Service Insurance in January of 1984. He opened Monarch Crematory of North Texas in 2019.

He was a member of First Baptist Church of Vernon, Past President of Panhandle Funeral Directors Association, Texas Funeral Directors Association, Past President of Panhandle Chamber of Commerce, and a member of Lions International since 1970. He was on the Board of Directors of Waggoner National Bank of Vernon and on the Board of Directors of Vernon College.

He has held a Texas Insurance License since 1968 in Group II Division, he was active in managing day to day operations of Sullivan Funeral Home, Sullivan Preneed Service, Sullivan Service Insurance Company and Monarch Crematory of North Texas, where the Mortuary accounts have grown several times over the amount, since he took over in 1984. This is a very proud accomplishment for him and the wonderful staff that he worked with at Sullivan Funeral Home.

Otis married Vickie Lynn Counts on June 1, 1989.

He is preceded in death by his parents J.D. Smith and Wilsie Lee Tallant Smith; and his sister and brother-in-law, Bettye Jean and Marion Elgene Hord.

Otis is survived by his wife, Vickie Lynn Counts; two sons, Ryan Scott Smith and wife, Tricia of San Antonio, Bradley John Smith and wife, Haley of Haskell, Texas; one daughter, Victoria “Scobbie” Elizabeth and husband, Patrick Parmer of Vernon; and one brother, Jim Tom “Frog” Smith and wife, Jane of Panhandle. He is also survived by seven grandchildren, Camden Rose Smith, Henry Otis Smith, Elizabeth Bradley Smith, Lee Chandler Smith, Morgan Zach Smith, Luke Bentley Parmer and Camila Elizabeth Parmer; and three nieces and two nephews.

Online condolences may be made to the family at www.sullivanfuneralhomevernon.com.