claude cleve smitherman

C.C Smitherman, 78, passed from this life on Friday, October 12, 2012, after a long illness. C.C. is survived by his wife of 56 years, Billie. He also leaves two children, his son Barry Smitherman, wife Marijane, and grandchildren, Shelton, Wyatt, Owen, and Louisa, and his daughter, Leslie Rutherford, her husband Jeff, and grandchildren, Jake, his wife Natalie, and Colton. He was preceded in death by his father Cleo, mother Audie, and brother Malcolm. C.C. has three sisters, Marie, Sue, and Doris, several nieces and nephews, and many friends throughout Texas.
C.C. gave tremendous time and service to many Houston area organizations, including the North Shore Rotary and the North Shore Chamber of Commerce. He served as a Commissioner, appointed by then Texas Governor Mark White, on the Texas Turnpike Authority. Later, he served as Harris County's representative, for eight years, on the Port of Houston Authority. Undoubtedly his favorite organization was the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, where he served for over 37 years in various leadership roles, including the Area Go-Texan Committee, the Calf Scramble Committee, the Rabbit Committee, the Lamb Committee, the Sky Box Committee, and the Steer Auction Committee. He was often a Sponsor or Champion Buyer of various livestock, and served as a Director, a Vice President, as well as being named a Lifetime Vice President of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in 1993. He attended the rodeo annually from 1972 through 2012.
He was born in Franklin, Texas, and is a 1956 graduate of The Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, where earned his B.S. in Agricultural Education. He was the first in his family to graduate from college. He was also a member of the Highlands and New Braunfels United Methodist Churches.
An avid bird and deer hunter for many years, C.C. is remembered as being a great shot with both shotgun and rifle. His family once owned the beautiful "Divide" ranch in Medina County, where he raised Beefmaster cattle. It was his favorite place.
C.C. was loved and will be sorely missed by all. Services will be held at Forest Park Lawndale at 6900 Lawndale Street, in Houston, Texas on Wednesday, October 17, at 11:00 am, with a viewing on Tuesday night from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at the same location. Burial will be at Hill Country Memorial Gardens in New Braunfels at 4:00 pm Wednesday. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo scholarship fund.