Mrs. Kristi Ritter Smith

August 29, 1972 - May 26, 2019

Funeral services for Mrs. Kristi Ritter Smith, 46 of Old Center, Texas will be 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, May 29, 2019 at First Baptist Church of Carthage with Dr. Allen Tilley officiating. Burial will follow in Old Center Cemetery under the direction of Hawthorn Funeral Home. Visitation with the family will be Tuesday, May 28, 2019 from 6 – 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Mrs. Kristi Michele Ritter Smith was born August 29, 1972 in Carthage, Texas to Dexter Brent and Teresa Kirksey Ritter and passed away Sunday, May 26, 2019 at her home in Old Center. She was raised and schooled in Carthage, graduating with the class of 1990 and then attended Panola Jr. College. Kristi married Sam Alvin Smith on July 1, 1997 and together they celebrated 21 years of marriage. She worked as an administrative assistant for many years working for Judge Terry Bailey, Complete Printing and Reliable Health Care, before opening her own business, Kristi’s Critter Care. Kristi was a faithful member of First Baptist Church of Carthage. She was devoted to her family and loved spending time going to the movies and attending all their activities. Kristi was preceded in death by her grandparents, Jack and Beatrice Hayes, Johnny and Betty Yates and Alvis and Ruth Ritter. Kristi is survived by her loving husband, Sam Smith of Old Center; parents, Dexter and Teresa Ritter of Carthage; son, J.W. Murphy and wife Madison of Carthage; daughters, April Brooks and husband Barry of Arlington, Samantha Woodall and husband Justin of Shreveport, Lindsey Burkert and husband Spencer of Carthage and Shelby Smith of Old Center; brother, Stephen Ritter and wife Heather of Carthage; grandchildren, Kyle Brooks, Brooklyn Brooks, Abigail Brooks, Sawyer Burkert and Paxton Murphy, numerous other relatives and a host of friends. The family request memorials to the Panola County Cancer Coalition, P.O. Box 70, Carthage, Texas 75633.