Diane Mitchell Smith, age 69 of Buchanan Dam, formerly of Breckenridge, passed away Thursday, Aug. 25, at her home. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 28 at Morehart Mortuary with Charles West officiating. Visitation will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27 at Morehart Mortuary. Diane was born Dec. 2, 1952, in Strawn. She grew up on the Link Ranch learning to ride horses, milk cows, and help her dad feed cattle. She attended school in Breckenridge and graduated as Salutatorian of the Class of 1971. In high school, she served on the yearbook staff and belonged to the Variety Society 4H Club. She showed club calves and angora goats. She attended Texas Tech University.

She grew up attending New Hope Baptist Church #3 in the La Casa community where she was active in vacation bible school, Sunday school, church and was baptized. Diane married Michael Wayne Smith on Aug. 7, 1982, in Breckenridge. She followed Mike to the oil field in West Texas and spent many years in Kermit, before coming back to Breckenridge. They later went back to West Texas and lived in Odessa, Midland and Christoval, before settling in the community of Buchanan Dam for the last nine years.

She was preceded in death by her father, Kenneth Mitchell; and her brother, Kenneth Mitchell, Jr. She is survived by her mother, Freda Estes Mitchell; her husband, Mike Smith; her daughter, Stephanie Shockley and her husband, Cory Shockley of Austin; her one and only granddaughter, Emma Shockley of College Station, Texas; and several cousins and extended family. She was a talented gardener, passionate about her dogs, taking them through different agility courses and competitions, and enjoyed spending time with her family.

Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and may be left at Morehart Mortuary. Condolences may be made online at www. morehartmortuary.net.