Richard Lawrence Smith

Richard Lawrence Smith was born on January 29, 1935, in San Benito, Texas to Robert Leo Smith and Sally Edith Smith. He had three younger brothers: Jerry, Leslie and Mark. Richard grew up on a large family farm in Rangerville, Texas, growing corn, cotton and okra. Richard left the farm to attend Texas A&M University and after two years, transferred to Texas A&I University in Kingsville where he graduated with a degree in Agricultural Economics in 1956. Richard married his longtime girlfriend, Mae Louise Hardinger from Harlingen, Texas on August 28, 1959. After their wedding Richard and Mae taught high school in Loop, Texas for a couple years and then moved to Virginia where Richard had been drafted to serve as an Army Corporal and Mae continued her career as a schoolteacher. In 1962 Richard had completed his military service and the two moved back to Harlingen and started a family. Richard and Mae had three children: one daughter Laurel, and two sons Robert and Stacey. They farmed alongside several of Richard’s relatives south of Harlingen. In 1970, Richard began working for The Federal Land Bank. And in 1972, Richard and family moved to Corpus Christi where Richard had a 35-year long career as an agricultural land loan officer for Equitable Agri-business Inc. Richard and family attended worship services at the Riverside church of Christ where Richard served as a deacon and Mae taught children’s Bible classes for many years. They regularly enjoyed hosting gospel preachers and others who needed a meal or a place to stay, which made for many fond memories. In the summers, Richard and Mae sponsored children to attend Bible camps. Richard spent all his evenings and weekends with Mae and their children enjoying horse riding, rodeoing, motorcycle racing, scouting and camping. Richard was always active and supportive in his children’s activities. While Laurel was competing in horseback riding and 4-H, Richard was working in the show barn snack bar. When his sons were in scouts or competing in motocross, he was the driver and mechanic. When the kids were on the softball or baseball team, Richard was a coach. One baseball season he took over as coach for Robert’s team and made a deal with the boys that every time they won a game, he would treat them to Whataburger. The team went from losing every game in the first half of the season to winning every game in the second half, and Richard happily bought many more hamburgers than he bargained for! For years afterward, anytime Richard was spotted by one of those boys, they would come up to him and thank him. Anytime Richard was out and about in town, he was regularly late to wherever he was headed due to spending time talking to friends he would run into along the way. It was amazing how much he would remember from previous conversations with people even from years before. Richard retired in 1995 and moved to La Feria, Texas, where he and Mae took care of their parents. Richard and Mae also started a cattle operation in La Feria with one of Richard’s old clients and ran it from 2000 to 2010. Richard and Mae attended the La Feria church of Christ where they served the Lord faithfully in good health and bad. They supported a missionary to Mexico for 15 years and supported many others as the need arose. Richard was a “friend to man” as God led him to be and as much as God allowed him to be, constantly giving what he was being blessed with. Starting in 2020, Mae began to be consumed by dementia and Richard spent most of his strength caring for her, wanting her to enjoy the comfort of their home for as long as possible. In this he showed the patience of Job and was a constant amazement to others as he twice overcame cancer and other surgeries to continue to be Mae’s primary caretaker into his 90’s. Up until his passing, one of his favorite pastimes was to sit on their front porch with Mae, singing hymns of praise and talking to neighbors and friends that would stop by for a visit or to drop off sweet treats. Richard loved Mae, his family, and others, and it was evident in the life he lived. Richard passed away easily Monday morning, July 20, 2026, at Harlingen Baptist Hospital with his family by his side. He is survived by Mae, his loving wife of 67 years, daughter and sons; Laurel Berryman (Dr. Charles Berryman), Robert Smith (Paula Rebeles Smith), and Stacey Smith (Laura Tunches Smith), his grandchildren Alice Berryman Bolte (Thomas Bolte), Christina Berryman Donnelly (Jason Donnelly), Jacob Smith (Kayla Smith), James Smith (Jordan Smith), Jonah Smith, Julia Smith and Josiah Smith, and his great grandchildren Mae Bolte, Zoe Bolte, Harper Donnelly, Grayson Boyle, Henry Donnelly, James Smith Jr. and Shepherd Smith. Pallbearers are Robert Smith, Stacey Smith, Jacob Smith, James Smith, Jonah Smith, Josiah Smith, Charles Berryman and Nathan Rivera. The Smith family will host a viewing Friday, July 24, 2026, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Rudy Garza Funeral Home in Harlingen. The funeral service will take place on Saturday, July 25, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at the Rudy Garza Funeral Home Chapel of Peace in Harlingen. The funeral procession will depart the funeral home at 10:30 a.m. for a burial at Restlawn Memorial Park Cemetery with military honors under the auspices of the American Legion Post 205 and VFW 2410 of Harlingen. Thoughts at the service will be led by Preacher Roger Goodwin of La Feria Church of Christ. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Rudy Garza Funeral Home in Harlingen, Texas.

Richard Lawrence Smith

January 29, 1935 - July 20, 2026

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