In the first days of September 2025, two remarkable women—Elizabeth Ann Smith and Betty Jean O’Connor—are being remembered by their families and communities for lives marked by dedication, resilience, and love. Their stories, stretching from the heart of Texas to the farmlands of Michigan and the sunshine of Florida, offer poignant glimpses into the quiet legacies shaped by family, work, and the kindness of caregivers and friends.
Elizabeth Ann Smith, born on September 6, 1939, in Santa Anna, Texas, spent her early years surrounded by the rolling plains and close-knit communities of her birthplace. The daughter of Robert Smith and Lorene Gray, Elizabeth’s path would eventually lead her to a distinguished career in medical photography—a field that, while perhaps unfamiliar to many, played a crucial role in advancing patient care and research. According to her obituary, she graduated from Cross Plains High School, a milestone that marked the beginning of a lifelong commitment to education and professional excellence.
Elizabeth’s career culminated at the University of Mississippi Medical School in Jackson, Mississippi, where she served as director of Ophthalmic Photography. Her dedication and skill did not go unnoticed. In 2000, she was honored with a fellowship from the Ophthalmic Photographers Society, a testament to her expertise and the respect she garnered among her peers. As the Ophthalmic Photographers Society recognizes, such a fellowship is reserved for those who have made significant contributions to the field—a fitting tribute to Elizabeth’s years of service.
Her life, however, was not defined solely by her professional achievements. Elizabeth’s family, including her brother Larry Smith, her sister Nancy Stovall and husband Charles, niece Melanie Stovall, and nephew Chandler Stovall and wife Rose, recall her warmth and enduring friendships. The family has extended heartfelt thanks to caregivers Kary, Amy, and Kathy, as well as the staff of The Blake of Township, for their compassion and dedication in Elizabeth’s final days. Their gratitude echoes the sentiments of many families who have witnessed the profound impact that attentive and loving care can have during life’s most vulnerable moments.
Elizabeth passed away on June 1, 2025, in Ridgeland, Mississippi. Her life will be celebrated with a graveside service at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, September 6, at Cross Cut Cemetery in Cross Cut, Texas—a return, in a sense, to the land of her birth. The announcement also notes that the nightly ceremony in Washington, D.C., will be dedicated in her honor on a day chosen by her loved ones, offering a moment of national recognition for a woman whose contributions, though perhaps quiet, were deeply meaningful.
Hundreds of miles away, in Capac, Michigan, the O’Connor family is preparing to say goodbye to Betty Jean O’Connor, who passed away on Sunday, August 31, 2025, at the age of 93, surrounded by her family. Born Betty Jean Miller on May 14, 1932, in Berlin Township, she was the daughter of Guy and Della Miller. Betty’s life was one of hard work, devotion, and deep-rooted family ties.
In 1950, she married Gerald O’Connor, and together they built a life centered on their dairy farm—a fixture in the community and the backdrop for decades of shared labor and joy. After retiring, Betty and Jerry sought the warmth and relaxation of Florida, enjoying 18 years together before Gerald’s passing in 2005. Following this loss, Betty returned to Michigan, finding solace in the presence of her children, grandchildren, and a circle of friends at the local senior center.
Betty’s later years were spent at Holiday Blue Water Lodge in Ft. Gratiot, where she was known for her love of puzzles, reading, and tending to her flower gardens. The staff at Blue Water Lodge and Homestead Home Health Care became a second family, providing comfort and companionship through her final three years. According to the family’s announcement, their gratitude for the care she received is immense—a sentiment that resonates with many who have entrusted their loved ones to the care of others in their twilight years.
Betty’s legacy is perhaps best reflected in the generations that follow her. She is survived by her children—Dorothy Smith, Christine Jenness, Thomas O’Connor, Jeanette Tomaschko, and James O’Connor—along with 15 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren. Her family tree, sprawling and vibrant, is a testament to a life well-lived and the enduring bonds she fostered. The obituary notes that she was predeceased by her husband Jerry, ten siblings, son-in-law Robert P. Smith, and grandchildren Kathleen O’Connor and Kyle Jenness, underscoring the cycles of loss and remembrance that shape every family’s history.
In the coming days, Betty’s loved ones will gather to honor her memory. Visitation is scheduled for Friday, September 5, from 2:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Kaatz Funeral Directors in Capac, with rosary devotion and scripture services at 7:00 p.m. The Rite of Christian Burial will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 6, also at Kaatz Funeral Directors, with Father Tom Kuehnemund, pastor of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Yale, officiating. Burial will follow in Capac Cemetery, Mussey Township. The family has suggested that memorials be directed to "Wishes of the Family," inviting friends and community members to contribute in ways that honor Betty’s spirit and values.
These two women, though their lives unfolded in different regions and under different circumstances, shared a commitment to family, work, and the communities they called home. Their stories, chronicled in local obituaries and family remembrances, serve as reminders of the quiet, steadfast contributions made by so many whose names may not appear in history books, but whose influence is felt in the lives they touched.
The ceremonies planned for Elizabeth and Betty in the coming days will bring together loved ones, friends, and neighbors—each gathering not just to mourn, but to celebrate the unique legacies left behind. As the Times Herald and local announcements make clear, these moments of remembrance are as much about gratitude as they are about grief. They offer opportunities to reflect on lives shaped by kindness, hard work, and enduring love—qualities that, in the end, define the best of what it means to be part of a family and a community.
With the passing of Elizabeth Ann Smith and Betty Jean O’Connor, their families and friends are left with memories, gratitude, and the comfort of knowing that their stories will live on through those who loved them.